


A New Despair

by Davidicus Fiefteam (NoImDavidicus)



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-12
Updated: 2019-11-12
Packaged: 2021-01-29 00:34:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 55,732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21401230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NoImDavidicus/pseuds/Davidicus%20Fiefteam
Summary: After the fall of the First Order a fledgling Republic attempts to maintain order in the galaxy. Plagued by inept leadership it quickly splinters into warring factions. Amidst the struggle the Republic and a resurgent Empire develop into the main superpowers. As the conflict between them escalates the Empire establishes a shipyard in the quiet Gelvin system. This base of operations could be used to strike at the heart of the Republic. Realising the danger it presents the Republic sends a fleet to destroy the shipyards. As their fleet descends upon the system they begin to set into motion a chain of events that will shake the very foundations of the galaxy.





	A New Despair

Prologue:

After the dissolution of the First Order a fledgling Republic tried to maintain peace over large portions of the galaxy. With little experience the government was prone to infighting that resulted in the deterioration of the Restored Republic. Many factions grew weary of their rule and broke away to found their own collectives. Sympathizers of the former Empire grew emboldened by the disunity. A cunning leader took power and began to spread his influence across the galaxy. 

Not all hope was lost. In this dark period a strong chancellor was elected in what remained of the Republic. He became a counterbalance to the new Emperor. The other fragmented governments became increasingly overshadowed by these two superpowers. As they expanded their territories the inevitable escalation of the conflict between them drew ever nearer.

In an unexpected move the Emperor began developing a shipyard on the sparsely populated planet Gelvin IV. It was situated near the boundary between the Republic and Empire. Sensing an imminent threat from this base of operations Chancellor Fest Nitshao ordered Admiral Star-De’z to launch an offensive against the planet. This ruthless admiral dispatched her most trusted officers to eliminate the threat for good.

Chapter 1:

43 ABY, Gelvin System:

Captain En knew his mission well. It was a grim task. Grim was how he liked it. In fact he had turned down promotions just so he could keep getting his hands dirty. The exhilaration he felt in combat made him know he was alive. Killing gave him pleasure he could not find elsewhere. Achieving victory and causing pain were what he treasured most. His unit was mostly comprised of soldiers with similar aspirations.

Unlike the regular infantry they were all dressed in camouflage. The pattern was a mix of greys and dull browns. Their boots were plain black as were most of their helmets. Some had camouflaged patterns there as well but that was used primarily by the scouts. The helmets had a retractable mask that once locked into place would provide several functions that included providing oxygen, displaying terrain data and providing a close range communications channel. A bonus feature was the inhuman look it gave the soldiers as they marched into battle. Captain En rarely wore a helmet preferring to take in the sights, sounds and smells of the battle directly. People said he already looked inhuman with the crazed look his eyes made as he launched himself into the fray. 

He was round of face which seemed to be a family trait. That was where the similarities ended for him. His hair was darker than the golden brown colour the rest of his family had and his eyes were much sharper. Most of them were doe eyed which gave them a somewhat vacant expression. His unfortunate cousin Rowan was the worst offender of this look. Captain En thought that if anyone needed the helmet it was Rowan.

Aside from the helmet his outfit was similar to his troops except for a few noticeable differences. He had a communications device built into the right arm of his jacket. It matched the ones his other officers wore and was meant for longer distance transmissions though it could barely broadcast beyond the planet’s upper atmosphere. Sustained discussions from the surface to the fleet would be impossible but quick interactions could work though the sound might intermittently cut out. Further distinguishing him from the rank and file was a series of cosmetic alterations to his uniform. The insignia denoting his rank was situated over his heart and blended into the jacket’s pattern almost seamlessly. The other officers in his crew had theirs discreetly placed on their inner arm close to the wrist. Placing it elsewhere just turned it into a target. Additionally his pants were dark black instead of camouflaged as he rarely needed to remain hidden. 

Over the years he had changed from a first strike role into more of a position of leadership or as part of the cleanup crew. As such stealth had become less important for him. In the upcoming battle he did not expect much resistance. The population was peaceful and the military presence would be softened up by the initial barrage if everything went according to plan. 

He could hardly bear the anticipation after Admiral Star-De’z had given him his orders. The plan was simple enough. Bombard the factories and shipyards to put them out of commission before sending in a landing party to clean up. What was left unsaid in his orders was how to deal with the locals. He licked his lips before wringing his hands for good measure. 

Captain En turned to his unit, “Alright men! You already know the mission plan. We must remove the threat of the Empire from this star system.” In a half whisper half growl he added, “Permanently.”

“You mean we are to attack the civilians as well?” one of his least favorite soldiers piped up. Corporal Gredge if he recalled correctly. En made a mental note to transfer this pathetic excuse of a warrior out of his unit.

“Of course. These orders come from G’n-Dah herself.”

“Admiral Star-De’z? Understood sir!” 

Gredge had become wide-eyed at the mention of the Admiral. Who could blame him? Captain En thought. The Admiral was quite formidable. Her reputation might even exceed his. She was known for handing out severe punishments for any hint of insurrection. En was one of the few she gave leeway too as he had proven himself time and again. Still he made an effort not to try her patience if avoidable. He had found just mentioning her name was often a great way to get soldiers to toe the line. Few were foolish enough to incite her wrath.

With dissension quelled Captain En wrung his hands once more. It would not be long before they reached their target. As a bonus he was given the honor of testing a prototype warship. What were they being called again? That’s right, Juggernaut. Hopefully they live up to their name. Captain En had seen these behemoths being built and during the seemingly endless flight to the Gelvin system but it would be quite something else to see them in combat. There were only three which was a pity but he had been assured that even the strongest armada would fall to the might of a single Juggernaut. 

The ships were slightly scaled back from their final design. The senate wanted confirmation of their usefulness before they would bankroll full-scale production. Once they have witnessed the power of these behemoths they will be begging to build them. The wait was nearly over. The planet Gelvin IV would never see the onslaught coming. A sinister smile cracked his lips.

The ships under his command began to exit light speed. His quarry lay before him tranquil and pristine. Captain En waited for the Juggernauts to reach their position. Then he gave the command to fire. Blasts of brilliant light erupted from seemingly every part of the monstrosities. Even En had to admire the destructive capabilities put on display. Reminding himself he did not have the time to revel in the carnage he transferred command of his ships over to Vice Admiral D’Ehd before heading to his landing transport. The Empire would not sit idly by while their new shipyards were obliterated.

Even as his shuttle descended Imperial reinforcements began entering the system. He regretted not being able to partake in the fight but what was in store for him would be just as fun. He took one last look at the ensuing battle before setting his mind to the task at hand. It was difficult to focus at first. Seeing the Juggernauts in real action was almost frightening. He had never seen a fleet on Star Destroyers get dispatched with such ease. Explosions erupting from the surface below managed to grab his attention as his transport began its landing process. Captain En’s focus was now singularly directed on the fight ahead. Readying his blaster he prepared to disembark. He paid no attention to his escort as there was no doubt in his mind that they would follow. The landing ramp descended and he made his way down it all the while scanning for his first target. Seeing civilians running in terror some distance away he began to stride purposefully towards them. They did not know fear yet but they would.

***  
Chapter 2:

Jake Suntracer stood in what was approximately the middle of the house. The building was shaped like a rounded cube. The walls were flat until they reached each other. Here the edges were curved making the building look somewhat bulbous. The length of the structure would have comfortably fit four of him head to toe while the width would have only held three. There were two floors with two small bedrooms situated upstairs. The downstairs was split into four main rooms. These were the living room, the kitchen, a storage room and a bathroom. Taking up the bulk of the floor space were the kitchen and living room. Upon entering the building the kitchen would be situated on the right. From outside the building the front door was just left of center. This placed it on the living room’s side which also served as their dining room. The wall beside the door had a large mottled window that let in light while obscuring the view. Inside the house in front of the window was a ledge that his family used for sitting on. It wended its way towards the side of the house. Rounding the corner it continued on along the side wall for roughly the same distance. After a short gap a staircase started towards the second floor. It followed the wall all the way up where it then met a small corridor that led to the bedrooms. On the other side of the front door was the kitchen. It was only separated from the living in name as there was no dividing wall between them. In the middle was a long thin counter that nearly covered a third of the room lengthwise. Along the side wall was another counter that spanned the entire length though it had small breaks for various appliances. Above the counter were some cupboards that mainly housed plates, bowls and cups. At the back wall was a pair of doors. The one on the right led to a storage room mainly filled with food. The one to the left led to a bathroom. There was row of lights along the kitchens aisle and a second row in the living room in line with the window. 

As Jake stood at the boundary of the kitchen and living room he surveyed his surroundings taking in his family during the process. His wife Xyra sat near the window with a bowl of soup in hand. A few steps away sat his son Rufus. He had already begun tucking into his dinner with great fervor. Jake was content with the life he had made for himself and his family. They did not have much in terms of wealth but through hard work he had provided a comfortable life for them. There was always something needing mending but they never had to worry where their next meal would come from.

Jake had become quite accustomed to the quiet life that was living on Gelvin IV. Even the newly built shipyards barely changed the atmosphere of the town. Everyone took things at their own leisurely pace all the while completing tasks at a steady rate. The lifestyle was peaceful and Jake was grateful that he had been abandoned here all those long years ago. 

That was back when the Empire seemingly had a stranglehold on the galaxy. Much had changed in the galaxy and yet life had stayed nearly constant on Gelvin IV. Most politicians and military strategists paid the star system no mind. It was situated on the far edge of a star cluster with no other systems beyond for quite some distance. This left it as a part of a natural border for whatever faction controlled it. To top it off there were few hyperspace routes connected to the system due to a pair of asteroid belts surrounding it. The Cyrillia system was situated closest but direct connection was nearly impossible. It was easier to circumnavigate through nearby trade routes than try to fly straight to it. The system was almost forgotten by the end of the Old Republic and the Clone Wars had bypassed it entirely. The Galactic Empire had established a small base on it but like many governments before it had discovered the system to be too remote and insignificant to be worth garrisoning. The new Emperor did not share that particular point of view. He had seen it as an opportune location to build and launch fleets of warships. The Republic controlled system of Corellia was not so far off and an attack from Gelvin would almost certainly catch them off guard. Attempting to seize the tactical advantage the Emperor attempted to quickly mass produce ships on Gelvin IV. Trying to change the people of Gelvin would have been a fruitless endeavour so instead the Emperor imported workers to build his armada. The interlopers kept to themselves and the citizens did as well. As such life went on as usual.

Usual. The mundane tasks Jake had begun to take for granted. The influx of Imperial soldiers had threatened to turn life on its head but the people of Gelvin were difficult to change though hardly adversarial. After a rough couple of months the soldiers and civilians had finally reached an unspoken understanding. Each made a concerted effort to not interfere with the other’s way of life. An odd sort of harmony existed here not seen elsewhere in the galaxy. 

As he reflected on these barely functioning interactions Jake could not help but notice his house’s poor lighting in the late afternoon. The room felt dim as the interior lights failed to pick up the slack for the waning daylight. He grimaced at the thought. Great! Another thing needin’ fixin’. His annoyed demeanor did not last as it would be fairly easy to repair. He set the problem aside and turned to the kitchen behind him. Promptly locating his bowl he began to stride towards it. A step or two later and his foot toe picked causing him to stumble forwards before catching himself. Jake had always been a tad on the clumsy side though it had never been inhibiting. Righting himself he proceeded to the bowl and picked it up. Pivoting once more toward the pot of soup he began to take his fill. Once that was done he carefully made his way to his family. He did not want to waste any of Xyra’s soup with an accident. Not again so recently anyways.

He looked at Xyra fondly as he took in all her details. She had dark brown hair and her eyes even darker. They were brilliant and striking in contrast with his pale pastel blue eyes that almost faded to grey. There was a knowing look to her that always made her appear vibrant yet wise. Though she had recently started to show signs of aging her face clung to its youthful look. Currently she wore a warm smile but that could turn formidably stern in a flash. She was slow to anger and Jake was grateful he rarely saw her frown. She wore drab loose fitting robes of pale brown. Time had greyed them a little. Most of their clothes eventually looked like that. Watching her there he began reminiscing about their life together.

Xyra had been there for him as long as he could remember. After being dropped off on the planet he had begun helping out Sharr Braufihz as a way of earning his keep. Sharr’s brother Tikka had married the daughter of some important lady. She was unknown throughout the galaxy but Lady Tremalger had become something of a local legend. She was well respected by the citizens as a healer and fortune teller. Her daughter Huhndramil had married the wealthy businessman Tikka and eventually the pair gave birth to Xyra. Spending most of his time working for Sharr resulted in him being in close contact with the entire Braufihz family. Jake was never really sure when it happened but eventually he began to have feelings for Xyra. One thing he would not forget was when he finally worked up the courage to begin a relationship with her only to get chastised for taking so long. It was the worst kept secret in the town as everyone had long ago decided they were an item. Eventually he and Xyra realised they were destined for one another and got married. It was this happy time that Jake finally felt like part of the community instead of some interloper. Putting his past behind him he only saw a bright future with her ahead of him. 

Several years later they were finally established enough to expand their family. Rufus was born to them and it felt as their family was complete. Jake could not figure out what he had done to deserve such happiness but it all seemed to fit together in perfect harmony with the world around him. Rufus was made for a place such as this. He was a laid back child but never one to shirk his responsibilities. Like all children he caused his fair share of trouble but it did little to disrupt their peaceful world. 

Jake looked at his son next. He had his mother’s eyes. His hair was a shade or two lighter than Xyra’s. It looked like his own when he was that age. After living there for forty odd years his hair had turned a sandy brown though grey had begun creeping in recently. Rufus also shared his mother’s smile. He could hardly recall a time when they boy was not happy. Truly the three of them were content with their peaceful life. Jake only wished that there were more children close in age to Rufus. There was a handful in the nearby towns but only one other kid in the city. Rufus never complained about it but he suspected his son was lonely.

\-------------------------------------------------------------//-------------------------------------------------------------

Rufus sat idly beside his parents. He had long since finished his meal but he was in no hurry to get up. He would have to clean up if he did and by the looks of things it would be straight to bed afterwards. He wanted to practice his mother’s meditation exercises beforehand but he got the feeling she would brook no argument. Over the years he had become adept at sensing her mood. Perhaps it’s from all the time we spend training together, he mused. On top of the meditation she had taught him several tricks with a strange power. She never told him what it was but from time to time they would practice using it. He was still unskilled at it. The only time he succeeded was when she was guiding him. When he tried on his own it was like fumbling around in the dark. He had received quite the scolding when he accidently broke a plate while trying to move it with this power. After that he avoided using it unsupervised. The one skill he was quite adept at was entering the memories of others but his mother would not let him try on anyone but her. As such he could only practice when she was available. Most of the time she just gave him lectures about the nature of the power. He often daydreamed about being strong enough to move the stars with it. Wouldn’t that be a sight? Moving the sun, he thought while smiling blissfully. I’d be living up to my namesake Suntracer.

While lost in thought he barely noticed the room darkening. The sun had fully set and the lights in the house provided only a dim illumination. His eyes were drawn to his father as Jake stood up before striding over to the kitchen. At least he didn’t trip this time Rufus thought ruefully. His father was often bumping into things or tripping over his own feet. It was harmless but he could not fathom how someone could be so clumsy. He had originally thought his father careless but the attention to detail Jake had when repairing things made him dismiss the notion long ago. In fact Rufus had given up trying to figure it and just accepted it as the way things were. He continued watching as Jake reached the counter and placed his bowl down.

Thunder suddenly boomed from seemingly everywhere. It was way too loud for what he was used to. Rufus recalled that the sky had not looked stormy before the sunset. Both his mother and father stood wide eyed and motionless. He missed seeing his mother rise to her feet during the cacophony. Several more blasts of thunder rocked their house. There was something off about their sound but Rufus could not quite put his finger on it. 

Xyra looked worried. She began tidying up the eating area. She snatched the bowl from Rufus’ hand. Meanwhile Jake had begun furiously washing dishes. Rufus thought everyone was wearing very serious expressions but thunder would not cause that. Would it? 

He looked at his father who had finished cleaning his own bowl and had started making his way towards his mother. An irritating high pitch whine began to fill the air and his father stopped dead in his tracks. Rufus craned his neck trying to identify the sound all the while it got louder and louder. Just as it was reaching deafening levels the wall behind his father began to crack. In an instant the wall burst open and the ceiling caved in upon Jake. Rufus felt a blast of air as he was pressed hard into the wall behind him. He felt pain at the back of his head and everything became hazy. He vaguely recalled hearing his mother scream before blacking out.

\-------------------------------------------------------------//-------------------------------------------------------------

When Rufus came to all he could see was Xyra’s face. She was crying. Why is she crying? Rufus tried to think but his mind worked slowly. His head hurt as he tried to get his bearings but all he had to go on was the sad look on his mother’s face. Suddenly her expression changed as she realized Rufus had regained consciousness. She said something but he could not make out the words. It seemed as though she was whispering. There were cuts on her face but they seemed superficial. He became aware of something tugging on his arm. Rufus looked down to see what and discovered it was his mother’s hand trying to pull him to his feet. He struggled to stand up and with a bit of effort he managed it. The rest of the room came sharply into focus. It would be difficult to call it a room any more. There were two adjoining walls left but the top half of each was missing. There was no ceiling or second floor and only a pile of rubble where the kitchen used to be. Dad!

A feeling of dread and panic washed over him. Rufus nearly collapsed back to the ground but his mother’s firm hand on his arm pulled him sharply to attention. Hearing began to return to him. His mother was saying something to him. Straining, Rufus was able to make out the words, “have to go… Ow!” He was still struggling to understand what she meant when she began to drag him through what used to be the front doorway. He took one last look back at the kitchen but only felt numbness. Turning away he proceeded to follow his mother quickly through the town’s side streets. They crept carefully to avoid detection. Rufus was not sure what they were hiding from exactly but he knew now was not the time to ask. At least the thunder has stopped.

\-------------------------------------------------------------//-------------------------------------------------------------

Rufus became disoriented as they travelled the dizzying path his mother chose. It felt like hours had passed since the roof had caved in on them. Night had fully set in now and he was grateful for that as it helped hide them from the soldiers. They had a few close encounters during the waning daylight but had managed to evade detection thanks to Xyra’s quick thinking. She somehow was able to keep one step ahead of them every time the soldiers closed in on them. To Rufus she almost seemed prescient as if she knew how their pursuers would react in each situation. Others in the town had not been so fortunate. Rufus suppressed a shudder as he recalled seeing a volley of blaster fire kill several people who lived a short walk from home. Lucky indeed, he thought ruefully.

Xyra came to an abrupt halt in front of him. This broke him out of his dark thoughts. His heart began to race as he strained to see or hear the danger ahead. It took him a moment to realise they had reached a major road and would have to cross with minimal cover. There was some debris strewn about on the ground but not enough for the whole span. Furthermore some streetlights had survived the onslaught and dimly illuminated large swathes of the road. He waited expectantly for Xyra’s plan. She ushered him back into a building recess. 

In as loud a voice as she dared she spoke, “we need to cross here. Before we do I am going to check to see if the way is clear. When the time comes we are going to run across as fast as we can. Do you understand?” He nodded dumbly. She continued, “Good. Now if anything goes wrong you must head to Lady Tremalger.”

“Not grandma?” he sounded confused.

“No. You will be safer with Lady Tremalger. She’s not far from here. Keep going straight after crossing the road for three blocks before heading left. She’s four houses down on the far side. Got it?” Her seriousness threw him off guard. All he could do was nod his head silently. Scowling she told him, “Not good enough. Repeat the directions back to me.”

He did so without hesitation. Then worked up the courage to ask, “But you’ll be there with me, won’t you?”

She crouched down so they were eye level and her face softened. “Of course sweetie,” she said in a reassuring voice. “I’m just being cautious. With what’s happening I’m just scared. What mother wouldn’t worry about her child like this?” She ruffled his hair before giving him a pat on the cheek. Xyra looked him in the eye a moment longer making the whole exchange even more unsettling to Rufus. At last she broke eye contact and glanced back to the street. 

They then returned to the roadside with Rufus hanging back in the shadows. As he waited he could hear troops marching on a nearby cross street. The area was so full of activity that he began to think that they were never going to cross. Not far in the distance he thought he could hear a heated exchange of blaster fire though he could not figure out which direction it was coming from. The sounds of the invaders seemed to be intensifying. He suddenly noticed Xyra edge backwards and took a step or two back himself. He was glad for the darkness as the thudding of boots approached. Rufus tried to shrink into a nearby wall as a full platoon of soldiers came into view moving right to left from his vantage. 

Once she was certain they were far enough past them Xyra tried to return to her previous position. It was at that moment that they both heard the footsteps coming from behind. A cold chill ran up Rufus’ spine as a feeling of dread tried to overwhelm him. The look on his mother’s face confirmed his worst fears. Words were not necessary as they both began to frantically run out into the street. They did not stand a chance. As Rufus glanced to his left he saw the platoon of soldiers readying their blasters. As the initial volley began to erupt from their hands his mother’s arm flailed out helplessly in front of him. Suddenly his entire view was shielded by her body. Xyra contorted in pain as each blast struck her but she refused to yield to the onslaught. 

The attack ended as quickly as it had begun. Rufus could only gape in shock. His mother looked pained yet content before crumpling to the ground in front of him. Rufus’ arms began to shake uncontrollably. Part of him wanted to collapse beside her. Instead he steeled himself as he faced their attackers. Anger threatened to overwhelm him. He could see the cause of his pain and he wanted to make them pay. In that moment a dark power flowed into him. It was different from what Xyra taught him yet somehow familiar. It felt natural as if it were merely an extension of himself. Instinctively he grabbed hold of it. Without a second thought he unleashed it upon the unsuspecting soldiers. Bolts of lightning flew out of his hands toward his enemies. Their screams of pain were muted only by the torrent of static exploding out of his fingers. None were spared his vengeance. A window to his left exploded as tendrils of electricity struck it. Several nearby streetlights flashed brighter as they burst with light before being snuffed out. For Rufus it seemed as though time had stopped. He watched the calamity as it matched is inner turmoil. Bolt after bolt continued to shoot out from him striking with reckless abandon. It took several minutes for him to realise the soldiers were dead. Finally he released the strange power and as he did so time returned to its normal flow. 

As he let go of the dark power Rufus became aware that his mother was moving. Pushing aside all thoughts of self-preservation he bent down beside her and cradled her in his arms. She looked up at him with semi lucid eyes. Here breathing was so shallow. Rufus braced himself mentally. He knew she did not have long left.

Chapter 3:

Captain En’s platoon had gone on ahead of him. He was scouring the buildings for stragglers that may have gone unnoticed during the ground invasion. So far he had only found a small handful. His men had been very thorough. He smiled at that thought though he was a little disappointed that there were so few for him to kill.

His communicator buzzed, “Captain En?”

Annoyed at having his thoughts interrupted he hesitated before answering. It sounded like his cousin anyways. Remembering how incessant Rowan could be he responded. “What is it Vice Admiral D’Ehd?”

The voice on the communicator crackled, “So you are alive Kri!” 

Captain En bristled. His cousin had a way of getting under his skin. “Get to the point,” he retorted.

“Just thought you’d like to know the test results of the prototypes… what were they called again? Well, never mind that. The results were very positive.”

“Is that all you wanted to tell me?” Captain En could not keep the irritation out of his voice.

“Oh, no. Certainly not. There’s also this tiny matter of an enormous Imperial fleet arriving. You may have company down there as they’ve already managed to land some troops. Toodles.”

Kri balled his hand into a fist. Not for the first time did he think of strangling Rowan with his bare hands. Brief images of his cousin’s vacant eyes bulging out of his pudgy round face filled him with glee. There were sadly more pressing matters to attend to so he pushed the idea out of his head for the time being. Quickly he relayed the information to his second in command before attempting to rendezvous with his unit. 

As Captain En began to wind his way through the town he was stunned to see a blindingly bright flash in the distance. It did not look like any weapon he was familiar with. Has the Empire developed some new super weapon? He decided that prudence was his best option. Captain En’s first action was to contact his second in command again. 

“Mason. What was that ball of light?”

“Unknown, sir!”

“Well check it out. And be careful. It may be some new Imperial toy.”

“I’ll send in that upstart Gredge and his group first. They’re closer anyways.”

Captain En weighed his options. On one hand he should see this weapon in action if it even existed. On the other hand if the battle went poorly his unit would need a quick escape. He only saw one way that was possible and that was if a ship was already prepared for escape. On top of that there was potentially critical information that he needed to be able to transmit to the fleet the moment he attained it. Reluctantly he decided to return to his ship. Should the worst happen he needed to see how the space battle was faring if he was to have any hope of evacuating his men. Torn by this choice he nearly missed seeing a civilian charge him. Somehow the fool had escaped his detection but now threw his life away. As the man fell lifelessly to the ground Kri felt drawn back to the carnage. This was the part of being an officer he detested. A soldier was expected to fight and follow orders. Leaving the bloodshed behind galled him. Instead he had to forego the battle as more important matters took precedent. Biting his lower lip in frustration he stormed off towards his ship all the while attempting to tune out the chaotic sounds far behind him. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------//-------------------------------------------------------------

Corporal Gredge made his way towards where the light had flashed. He had twenty soldiers following him marching in rows five men wide. As they neared their target they could smell the burnt bodies long before they could see them. A whole platoon lay there in the street, their bodies contorted in apparent agony. Instinctively Gredge readied his blaster. He surveyed the road looking for signs of his enemies. Just past the bodies was a young child holding a body in his arms. An arm from the body reached up and touched the kid’s face. So, not dead yet Gredge thought. There was another fallen soldier close to where the child was crouched. Corporal Gredge suspected they had been caught in the weapons blast. The child must have been protected by that other civilian. 

That still left ascertaining where the weapon had gotten too. There were no signs of Imperial Stormtroopers anywhere. The attack could not have been a surprise or else the kid would have been caught in it too. Unless… Unless it is the child. Preposterous! A twinge of fear washed over him momentarily before irritation at his wild imagination took over. He did not have long to ponder that thought as a battalion of Imperial troopers entered the street some distance away. Not needing a command, his unit formed ranks as their enemies approached. Gredge became so focused on the upcoming battle that he forgot the child even existed. Until it let out a wild blood curdling scream.

\-------------------------------------------------------------//-------------------------------------------------------------

Rufus looked down at his mother and fought back tears to no avail. He did not need a doctor or medi-droid to tell him she was not going to make it. Her eyes were nearly vacant. Shear strength of will was all that kept her there. He began to say his final goodbyes when the sounds of marching boots echoed behind him. He did not bother to look up. He knew what he would see behind him and he no longer cared. Let them come. There is nothing left to take. His thoughts returned to his dying mother. She looked up at him and clarity suddenly shone in her eyes. Her hand shot up to his face and brushed an escaped tear away. He had not felt it as it ran down his face. Even now be barely felt her hand upon him. His senses failed him as his mind wished to flee. Flee the pain. Flee the heartache. Yet here he was crouching numbly over the only one left in his world. He felt tired but it was someone else’s weariness. He felt pain but it was someone else’s pain. The power his mother had taught him now seemed an elusive memory while the newfound darkness threatened to swallow him up. The light in her eyes pulled him back to reality and a wave of emotion nearly overwhelmed him. He hung onto Xyra’s every movement as if he was drawing strength from it. Somehow he felt hope as he did so even though it had all become so hopeless. Yet here his mother was fighting ever on though she ought to be long dead. In happier times he would have been awestruck by her force of will. Even now she wished to instruct him.

Xyra began to speak in a raspy, breathless voice, “Rufus… Rufus, you mustn’t give in to hate.” She drew in a strangled wispy breath, fighting to make the words come out, “Lay…Dee… Tremaaaa.” She fell into a coughing fit but never broke eye contact. Quickly he nodded that he understood. Feeling reassured she continued, “Promise me Rufus…” She shuddered and took in another haggard breath. “Promise me that… promise me you won’t give in to haaa...” Her last word remained unfinished as the light went out of her eyes. 

A wave of numbness washed over Rufus. Almost mechanically he carefully placed Xyra’s lifeless body back on the ground and stood up. Rufus wanted to make the promise to her but he knew it was something he just could not do. Rage began to replace the numbness and his hands began to shake. He balled them into fists but it only served to increase the vibrations. Moving up his arms his whole body began to quiver. Rufus was unaware of the tears that flew off of his face. All he felt was anger. There was no room for pain only wrath. He held on tightly to his overwhelming hatred and the dark power returned to him even stronger this time. Before had felt like a bucket of water. This was an ocean by comparison. Rufus did not care if he drowned in it as the power tried to consume him. He wanted more of it, more than he could hope to hold onto. Finally he reached a point where it seemed as though he held all the darkness of the galaxy. Still he wished for more but his patience had reached its limit. He turned to face the soldiers behind him and was dimly aware of the second group that had entered the street. Letting out a wordless scream he unleashed the power upon them all. 

There were so many bolts of lightning that it seemed like a single wall of light shot out from his hands. Blitzes of blue and red struck out in all directions. The Republic soldiers appeared to melt in front of him. The very ground boiled as the lightning continued to strike it time and again. When the battalion was little more than a charred ruin he began searching for other targets. His vengeance was not enough. His anger was not sated. Rufus turned around to face the newcomers. When he began to lash out many of them staggered back a step with some using arms to shield their eyes. In that brief moment he was dimly aware that they were dressed differently. These were Imperial Stormtroopers. It mattered not. They would all pay.

Rufus was about to send the lightning again but changed his mind. This time he would try something else. He raised his arm with the palm turned up. As he closed his hand into a fist he saw the storm troopers clutch at their throats. Their bodies were suspended in air. He squeezed tighter and one by one their heads began to sag lifelessly. Nearby buildings began to tremor before collapsing. Rubble fell into the street in a wave of stone and glass. Still he squeezed tighter until the last one died. Then he waved them away in a dismissive gesture, opening his palm in the process. Their bodies flew several feet away before crashing to the ground. The street below them buckled upward mimicking a geyser. Houses aligned with it began collapsing even several blocks away. The cacophony of destruction seemed to match the tempo of hi anger in perfect harmony. Tear it all down, he seethed. Break them all! He felt a slight satisfaction with their pain.

Still it was not enough for him. He reached out with the dark power. To his surprise Rufus could sense life. He could feel them all around; all their anger, all their fear. His enemies would all know fear! Rufus thought he could identify which ones were soldiers and which were civilians. A twisted smile crossed his face. He lashed out at the soldiers. He did not need to see them to strike. Screams erupted around the planet. He could not hear them but somehow he still felt them. Consumed by darkness he cared little as when he accidentally struck down friend and foe alike. The craters from the earlier barrage were small blemishes compared to the destruction he rained down upon the cities. He no longer needed to conduct the lightning through him. Instead he willed it into existence in fountains of power that spewed forth from the ground. So fierce was his wrath that his attacks interfered with all planetary communication. The fleets above were completely in the dark about the chaos on the surface yet all felt a tremor of fear. Without understanding they all sensed a great disturbance in the Gelvin system.

As he lashed out at the invaders he realised that these soldiers were again too small a target to satisfy him. He needed to unleash the full extent of his fury. The dark power he had pulled in threatened to consume him. He searched for a bigger target. Then he found it. Looking skyward he could see tiny flashes as a battle raged on overhead. They would know his wrath. They would feel his pain. He raised both hands towards the sky and balled his hands into fists. He could sense the ships above crumpling. The sky blipped with tiny fireballs as ship after ship imploded into fireballs. Back on the planet buildings collapsed and even mountains were torn asunder. The cliffs overlooking the Imperial shipyards shuddered. Suddenly the entire rock wall broke as several tonnes of stone fell upon the buildings below. What was left of the hateful structures was crushed under the weight. Rufus felt a sense of pleasure in their destruction without realising he had caused it. The shipyards were merely an afterthought as his mind was focused solely on the invaders above. 

When the sky was nearly empty he could feel the last of the power leave his body. A feeling of cold replaced it but he was too numb to notice. Suddenly exhaustion overwhelmed Rufus and he collapsed to the ground. Too weary to be angry any longer he blacked out peacefully.

\-------------------------------------------------------------//-------------------------------------------------------------

Captain En had nearly made it back to his ship when the night sky began to brighten behind him. He turned back and could see the top of a giant ball of light. It was hard to tell at this distance but he guessed that it was close to where it had first appeared. This time seemed bigger and brighter than before. Strange, thought Kri, it should have looked smaller at this distance. He did not have long to ponder the implications before his lieutenant contacted him.

“Captain!”

“Report, Mason.”

“I just watched visuals from Gredge’s unit. They were wiped out.” He sounded shaken. This was a serious development as Mason was not known for losing his nerve.

“Good riddance. What about the weapon?”

“Hard to say. Imperial troopers were lining up when an explosion occurred around some civvies caught in the middle. I’ll relay the holo now.”

Captain En began playing it immediately. He tuned out Lieutenant Mason’s voice as he appeared to be babbling about something being wrong. The holo showed a street with soldiers strewn about all over. In the middle was a child clutching a body to himself. A boy if he had to make a guess. Stormtroopers could be seen approaching. The boy stood up and faced him. Annoyed, Kri’s attention was pulled back to Mason’s voice as it had become frantic. There was the sound of cracking before Mason let out a pained scream. The boy on the holo howled simultaneously. A flurry of light materialized in front of the child obscuring him entirely. Mason’s scream stopped short as his communicator crackled sharply before cutting out entirely. The recording stopped as well. Empty static filled the void that was left behind.

En’s mind raced as he tried to piece together what had just happened. Both the ball of light and Mason’s demise were mysteries to him. Whatever had happened to Mason did not match up with the recording he had seen. How many new weapons had the Empire brought to this fight? What was so valuable here that it was worth revealing them? It did not matter presently. Right now he just needed to flee. 

As he was about to move the sky brightened momentarily. Then it happened again. As it continued to flick Kri turned around to look for the source of it. It did not take him long. Scattered across the distance were almost blinding blue pillars of lightning. As more flashed into and out of existence the sonic booms they caused finally reached him. The first one made him hunch over as if he could hide from it if he only got low enough. Terror filled him has he remained statuesque in his half crouched position. Several more booms echoed all around him finally startling him into action. Pushing his fears aside he began to run towards his ship as he felt a desperate need to find cover. The lightning pillars were getting closer. 

Each time a flash or boom occurred Captain En quickened his pace. His ship was still a short ways off and he was unable to suppress the nagging sensation of fear. He kept feeling that sinister plans were in play and the worst was yet to be revealed. Something had gone terribly wrong and he needed to leave before he was caught up in it. It’s best not to run blindly, he thought to himself. Perhaps his cousin had better information. It was difficult to stave off a feeling of impending doom. He began to sprint in some vain attempt to escape this unknown terror.

Much to his relief he made to his ship without further incident. The lightning had stopped when it the vessel had come into view. Once on board he immediately prepared for takeoff. Kri decided to check on the battle above before making his departure as he wanted to avoid flying into a deathtrap. He pressed a sequence of buttons and a display lit up. All the major ships were visible with smaller fighters represented with symbols instead. The large ships appeared in the same translucent blue colour of holograms. After a quick scan of the battle he saw that the Juggernauts were still intact though two of them had sustained heavy damage. He could tell that their firepower had been reduced as they flew towards the rear. The rest of the fleet was holding its own against the much larger armada of the Empire. He located his cousin’s ship. Pity it had survived. It hovered near the rear perimeter of the battle. Rowan was not known for his bravery after all. Begrudgingly Captain En contacted the Vice Admiral. A moment later his cousin’s bloated round face appeared on a nearby screen. He would have preferred to have this conversation without the visuals. Rowan had been cursed with all the worst features of the family. Kri was always treated to his smug grin. It was as if Rowan knew that his mere existence was enough to annoy him and the smile was his cousin’s way of twisting the knife.

“Well hello,” Rowan’s shrill and upbeat voice greeted him.

“How fare’s the battle?” Kri asked more than a little irritated. He could not prevent the quiver in his voice. It was difficult for him to recall ever being this rattled. At least Rowan did not seem to notice. The last thing he needed was his cousin bringing it at every opportunity.

“Splendid. How’s the planet’s surface?”

“Not as great. The Empire’s brought a whole new bag of tricks. I’ll send you a recording of one of them before I lost contact with my second.” Captain En was surprised when his cousin failed to respond. He looked at the display and nearly punched it. Rowan was not even paying attention. “Rowan!” he half yelled.

“Oh! Sorry. Now’s not a good time for this.” There was a wild look of bewilderment and terror in Vice Admiral D’ehd’s eyes. Captain En watched as Rowan stood up in a measured pace and fidgeted with a button before the screen abruptly turned off. After the initial shock wore off an unsettling feeling crept in before swiftly giving way to anger.

Kri recited a litany of curses in his head. He was about to contact his cousin again when he noticed the battle display. Several ships were missing including a Juggernaut. What had happened? As he continued to stare at it several ships erupted into flames before disappearing. It started in the center of the battle but was rapidly spreading outwards. Captain En suspected another new weapon from the Empire. This one was clearly impractical as it destroyed both fleets. His eyes followed the wave of destruction to where his cousin’s ship was situated. It had already turned away from the battle. He tried to estimate when it would reach Rowan and determined that Rowan would likely escape before then. A few others attempted to retreat as well but only a handful had any hope of success. Rowan always did have a sixth sense when it came to fleeing, he thought wistfully.

A few moments later he watched the battle cruiser make the jump to light speed while the last Juggernaut winked out of existence on the display. Bitterly Captain En thought that the wrong ship had survived the onslaught. The wave halted with only a few ships remaining. The extent of the destruction was staggering. He began musing in his head how to properly utilize the weapon. Perhaps an unmanned drone sent into a blockade. No sense putting your own ships in harm’s way. One thing he was certain of was the need for a countermeasure for it. Whatever it is.

The remainder of the Republic fleet scrambled to retreat. Kri debated waiting on the planet to avoid being caught in any other surprises. He scrapped that idea when Imperial reinforcements dropped out of hyperspace a few minutes later. Fortunately they had entered the system on the far side of the planet so they would be unable to intercept him before he escaped. He quickly took off and made the jump to light speed. As ruthless as he was Captain En was best known for surviving.

Chapter 4:

55 ABY, Loslier System:

High above the uninhabited planet a battle raged on. Two massive fleets fought for supremacy of the Loslier system. Neither side was able to gain ground as ship after ship was destroyed. Many ruined vessels fell to the planet below. As they crashed into the large ocean they sent out massive tidal waves that rolled over smaller islands. A few ships impacted on land in fiery explosions. All this destruction was echoed in the battle for ground supremacy.

Darth Gemin surveyed the carnage around him. He cut down a soldier of the Republic using his red lightsaber with hardly a thought. All around was the din of blaster fire and explosions from more powerful weapons. Bodies were scattered about all over the ground. He quickly estimated that equal numbers had fallen for both sides in the nearby surroundings. It was easy to tell them apart. The Empire equipped their soldiers in modernized versions of the traditional white storm trooper armor. The Republic army was a bit less uniform. Their troops came from several different star systems that often chose their own colours rather than adopting the dark blue standard of the Republic. Nevertheless they stood out from the white of the storm troopers.

Everything about the Empire was modeled after its predecessor. The Emperor was so obsessed with the past that he tried to make everything the same even adopting the name Palpatine. Gemin was of the opinion that the Emperor truly believed he was the reincarnation of the long dead tyrant. He had spent a lifetime building an empire of his own that was almost identical though ships and equipment had been upgraded to the latest technology. The only thing he truly lacked was Darth Vader. Gemin was as close a substitute as he was likely to get. Though he never spoke of it the Emperor was clearly bothered by this deviation. So far Gemin’s entire adult life had been spent under Palpatine’s tutelage. The Sith Lord had taken great efforts to mold him into the next Vader. In a twisted attempt to recreate the symbol of terror he had even tried to replicate his armor. Gemin had refused to wear it in its original state. Far too much of it was impractical with all the medical apparatuses built into it. It had been sent back from redesign several times until he was satisfied.

The outfit made Darth Gemin stand out on the battle field. The Emperor had personally chosen the design for his armor. It had been his intent to make it stand out. Though it was inspired by Darth Vader it had several practical modifications. For starters it had been trimmed down to be lighter and more maneuverable. This suited Gemin’s combat style better. He had mastered all the forms but was most proficient when attacking in quick bursts. His shoulder pads facilitated this by being more flexible while still retaining their durability. They conformed to the movement of his arms without being restrictive. A cape could be attached underneath them but he had left it in his ship. It was mostly used for intimidation. He found it to be too much of a nuisance in combat so he rarely wore it. Occasionally he used the cape when he needed to appear more menacing but this was not one of those times. 

The medical equipment built into the chest of the original suit had been scrapped entirely as it was unnecessary. The helmet was closer in design to Tie Fighter pilot’s than Vader’s but it did not muffle or distort the sound of his voice. It was thinner than the standard issue helmet with many of the components shrunken down or removed entirely. Popping out from the helmet from just above his eyebrows up to his hairline on either side of his nose was a row of jagged spurs. Additional lines of spikes curled away from the corners of his lips up to his ears. The helmet was fastened to a flexible neck guard that connected to his shoulder pads. On the surface the three pieces integrated seamlessly together.

Aside from this he had made a modification of his own. The belt at his waist was altered so that it could hold a second lightsaber. When not in use each lightsaber was placed in the belt near one of his hips. The backup blade still sat on his left side. He rarely needed to use it but it was reassuring to have a spare. His primary lightsabre usually rested on his right hip. He currently had need of it as skirmishes broke out around him in fits and bursts. There was one last adjustment to the belt that he had kept a secret even from the Emperor. A special pouch had been fitted into the front a little longer then the hilt of a lightsaber. Here he kept his most precious possessions. There was not a lot of room inside it as he had reinforced the inner layer with Phrik to protect its contents. The Emperor had given him some for the construction of his first lightsaber but he only used a small band of it around the red Kyber crystal. The rest of the material was recast into a boxy shape with slightly rounded edges at the size he required. This thin piece of Phrik was then woven deeply into the fabric to hide its presence. The extra material gave his belt a bit more girth. Fortunately the additional bulk did not cause it to jut out abnormally though the original one he had built was noticeable upon close inspection. He had thickened the rest of its length in later iterations in order to avoid detection. There were few things in the galaxy he had any attachment to and he was not about to let them fall into the Emperor’s hands. 

One day he planned to overthrow him but there was still too much he needed to learn before he did so. He was still unsure of his abilities and he worried that Palpatine was stronger than he let show. There were a several tasks he had yet to accomplish. Most important to him was revenge. Obstacles kept him from accomplishing his goals but day by day he drew closer to overcoming them. Patience had never been his strong suit but so far he had been able to bide his time. Excursions like the one he was on helped to pass the time and alleviate his pent up agitation. Today he was almost enjoying himself as he assessed his situation.

The assault of the planet was going well. The Empire was turning the tide of the battle on the surface. With him leading the charge victory was almost a guarantee. The ground gained could swiftly be lost if any Juggernauts arrived though. They would decimate the Empire’s fleet quickly cutting off the troops from support. He reached out with the Force to sense for any changes to the battle in the sky. So far everything was stable but he could not shake a feeling of unease.

Putting his fears aside he began planning his attack. The planet was mostly one giant ocean with small pockets of land protruding out of it. The ground jutted out from the water in small islets that tended to cluster together into cohesive networks. Their sizes were typically little more than hills but occasionally a few rose high enough to be considered mountains. Water collected in the gaps between the mounds that had clumped together making small misshapen lakes. The water within them was not fit for drinking as it contained large quantities of metal. The land was rich in common metals though extraction proved too costly for a successful mining operation. Most of the material was thoroughly mixed into the rocks rather than in large ore veins. To further complicate matters the bulk of the material was under water which in turn rapidly degraded the metal making it unfit for fabrication. As such the planet had remained mostly untouched by sentient species. There were remnants of an ancient civilization though they only inhabited the larger clusters.

Most chains were made up of only a handful of islands but there was at least one major land mass comprised of more than a few dozen. Gemin had tried counting them when he flew over them but had lost track before he reached the halfway point. His final estimate was a little more than fifty islets. The whole collection looked like a mottled crescent moon from overhead. The island was split between Imperial and Republic forces. The tip of the Imperial side curled back on itself towards the middle of the inner curve of the crescent. Gemin’s ship had landed there where it was sheltered by neighbouring mountains. The tallest mountains on the planet were situated near the crescents center. At the same time there were several mounds that barely even crested the water. Darth Gemin stood on one such island near the edge of the chain. In front of him were several craggy hills that could almost be called mountains if he was being generous. They were reddish brown in colour. Dashes of charcoal grey appeared to leak through at the jagged edges. The sides of the slopes were littered with sharp spires jutting out in all directions. The only smooth parts to be seen were timeworn paths that wove their way between the peaks. On top of several hills were the ruins of what he guessed were once temples and small villages. Upon the highest mountain was a more substantial town. Even when occupied Gemin thought the place would have felt abandoned compared to the crowded cities he was used to. It was difficult to see the architecture from here but some of the closer ones looked ancient in design. He could tell that they were made of large oblong bricks matching the colour of the ground. Originally they had been neatly stacked. Now the buildings were hollowed out husks with roofs that had long ago caved in. What still stood had dark red and grey moss growing on the cracks and edges. The Republic had set up their primary defenses in and around these structures. The crescent moon was seen as the only viable target so most combat was focused here.

Gemin contemplated his options. There were only a few paths up to these temples and they were obviously being watched carefully. He was confident enough in his abilities that he was undaunted about using the direct approach. Still it was best to think of alternatives limited as they were. He only had a finite amount of soldiers with him and had no desire to throw them away needlessly. With their capabilities in mind he continued to study the battleground. The terrain outside of the paths would be nearly impossible to traverse. He had dealt with worse but it would serve no purpose as it hardly provided any cover. The haphazard spikes fanned out with plenty of gaps between them that would leave his troops visible while simultaneously hindering their movement. It would quickly turn into a bloodbath. Settling on using a head-on assault up the paths he began ascending the hill in front of him.

His lightsaber flashed automatically as he wound his way along the path. Blaster fire rained down on him and was deflected back as quickly as it came. Republic soldiers dropped like flies as he closed in on the first barricade. With a few flourishes of his lightsaber he quickly subdued their resistance. As Darth Gemin pressed onwards he had to avoid stepping on the bodies of his enemies. An outside observer may have thought he was heedless of them as he purposefully strode through. A squad of Stormtroopers followed close behind him. They mopped up anything he missed as he pressed onward.

He continued on towards the next temple and a battalion of the Empires soldiers rallied behind him. They quickly joined ranks with the Stormtroopers creating a substantial force. To Gemin they were completely unnecessary. No one could stand before his might. He overpowered defensive position after defensive position. Gemin nearly got lost in the rhythm of the killing. He was only dimly aware of a small troop transport landing deep in enemy territory until he sensed the Force was strong with someone onboard. Smiling in anticipation he attacked the Republic soldiers with renewed conviction. It had been quite some time since his last duel with a Force adept. His last opponent had been rather disappointing using a broken combination of only the most rudimentary lightsaber techniques. He had tried toying with it but had quickly lost interest due to its ineptitude. Perhaps this one will be a bit more entertaining. He can’t be any worse than the last one, he thought bitterly.

He pressed on towards his new enemy in the most direct manner possible. As if to spite him the path took a circuitous route between the various hills. He was nearly at the halfway point of the crescent and where his target had landed when he reached a place of strong resistance. Part of the hillside in front of him jutted out above a lower portion creating a sizeable alcove. Spikes of rock shot out from the top and bottom creating a slightly porous rock wall. It looked like a mouth showing its fanglike teeth. The road leading up to it had little coverage as it rose up straight towards it. It split into two routes upon reaching the wall. The cliffs on either side dropped away steeply. Republic forces had set up several turrets behind the rock wall that were able to shoot through the gaps while being protected from enemy fire. Gemin could sense a lot of soldiers just beyond the wall ready to attack any that made it past the turrets.

This would have been a difficult obstacle for the Imperial army to overcome. Bombarding it would likely cause a rock slide which in turn might bar further passage. Having the troops charge in would result in heavy casualties. The lack of cover and the narrow pathways would turn into a shooting gallery for the Republic forces. They had been wise to defend this location. In a normal battle this position could have held out indefinitely. Unfortunately for them they did not account for the Force or had greatly underestimated its power.

To Gemin their resistance was only a brief distraction. He reached out with the Force and lifted the artillery in the air. Carefully he pushed them away from the rock wall. He then proceeded to toss them over the edge of the cliff to the left along with their gunners. Gemin approached the wall and was met with blaster fire from several directions. His lightsaber was a blur as he deflected the blasts. Darth Gemin used his free hand to pick up his hidden assailants and toss them aside. Half a dozen bodies flew through the air towards the left cliff again. Gemin decided to be a little more ruthless this time. He raised his left hand towards them and blue lightning shot out of his fingers towards their freefalling bodies. Screams of agony could be heard from them until they impacted on the rocks further below. 

The few remaining Republic forces quickly retreated. Darth Gemin would have struck out at them with more lighting but there were too many rocks in the way. They would have to wait. He had a more pressing objective. His foe was making its way to him. The Force user was still a ways off so Gemin continued onwards. He walked around the rock wall and saw that the paths converged before entering a small tunnel. On the other side of the tunnel the road rose up sharply as it scaled one of the taller hills. He was almost willing to call it a mountain. Midway up the path again split in two. The left one appeared to go back down towards some lower hills. The right path continued ascending albeit with a gentler slope. Gemin took the path to the right. It was not long before he reached the top. Looking over the edge he could see where his ship was docked far below. It was then that he realised the winding passages through the hills had double backed so that he was nearly where he had begun. Aside from being much higher up the two hills were only separated by a sliver of ocean. Taking note of that he began to survey the slope he was on.

There was a large ruin built into the rocks. As he drew closer he realised it was several unique structures littering the hillside. The buildings were a mix of smooth walls carved straight out of the mountain and brickwork affixed to the rocks. Darth Gemin assumed that this was once a village for some now extinct society. Wandering through the abandoned structures he was somewhat surprised that he did not encounter any soldiers. He could not even sense any in the nearby surroundings.

The only nearby enemies were the swiftly approaching Force user and its entourage of soldiers. Nearly one hundred if he sensed them correctly. Gemin thought, perhaps they want to retake that defensive position from before. It seemed like a dubious notion with the rest of their army falling back to their landing area. They were more likely just a distraction to keep him occupied. But why? I could hardly hinder their escape. His mind raced. Suddenly a worrying thought struck him. He quickly fumbled with his transmitter as he attempted to contact the ground commander.

Static greeted him before a voice crackled through, “is something wrong?” Darth Gemin liked working with Lieutenant Keldor. He was a sensible and to the point officer. Keldor served the Empire well as his relatives had done in the past. 

Gemin responded, “Order a full retreat immediately.”

There was a pause. Keldor finally responded, “Sir? We have them on the run. Should we not pursue?” 

Most other officers would have been up in arms at his request. Even if he provided his reasons most would still argue against it. Many arrogant fools had met their demise that way already. Keldor was different. He would listen to Gemin’s counsel. 

Darth Gemin replied, “Juggernauts are coming. The Republic is falling back to leave us exposed.”

“But if we…”

“The battle is already lost. Our fleet can barely handle theirs as it is. We’ll be overrun shortly after they arrive. It may already be too late.”

After a short delay Keldor responded, “Understood sir. I’ll begin ordering the full retreat.”

With that taken care of Gemin began his preparations for the advancing enemy troops. He would need to use the terrain to his advantage if he were to overcome all of them especially if they were accompanied by a Jedi pretender. He settled on an ambush point and waited. A handful of Imperial Stormtroopers joined him. Either they had not received the retreat order or they were ignoring it. He was about to send them away when the Force user drew near. Catching the attention of the unit’s lieutenant he signaled enemy strength and the plan of attack such that it was. Not for the first time he was glad he had learned the military hand codes. They had proven useful in situations like this. Now that he had communicated his plan he prepared to put it into action. With his hand at his hip hovering over his lightsaber he prepared to leap out of hiding.

Darth Gemin felled three soldiers before anyone could react. Then the battle commenced in earnest. He darted in and out of cover pressing his attack the whole time. With the help of the Stormtroopers nearly a third of the Republic soldiers had been felled during the initial onslaught. Still there was no sign of the Force user. As he finished another attack run he ran into an Imperial lieutenant.

“Why haven’t you retreated soldier?” Gemin asked. He wanted to know who he was dealing with but time was short.

“I could ask the same of you sir,” the insolent officer responded.

“I don’t have time to argue. Get your men out of here before the bombardments start.”

Not waiting for a response he charged back out into the fray. He ran forward with seemingly reckless abandon cutting a way through his enemies. Suddenly a blinding blue light streaked towards him from his right. He dropped and rolled on instinct before slashing at the light with his lightsaber. Blue and red clashed together with great intensity. The crackling momentarily distracted those nearby.

With some frustration he thought, how could I have missed his approach. Looking up at his attacker Gemin tried to learn all he could about his adversary. It was of slim build. His enemy was a little shorter than him too though not substantially so. The diminutive yet curvaceous stature of his opponent made him suspect it was female. As we watched his foe he realised she was analysing him in much the same way. The hawkish manner in which she stood made him feel a little less sure of himself. Regardless he continued his own appraisal. She was clad all in white as if as a counterpoint to his outfit. There was some silver on the uniform to give it definition but the sunlight caused it to fade into the rest. Somehow it gave him the impression of the Angels from the moons of Iego. A second glance revealed a streak of red on either arm starting on the back of the wrist that thinned out to a sharp point as it worked its way to the elbow. There were similar splashes of colour coming up from the ankle to the back of the knee. The helmet she wore was almost flat up front with only the edges curving gently towards her. The backside was rounded from side to side in a smooth arc. Additionally as the back of the helmet reached the top it curved in a similar manor. The top was a flat disc that fan outward as it extended over the front and sides. Little more than an inch thick this part jutted out in sharp edges. A small webbing of ridges on top gave this expansion a compartmentalised look.

There was a pause in their fight as they broke apart. From a short distance they eyed one another like two caged Nexus. They began circling the small open area that they were in, each of them searching for an opening to attack. The soldiers had given them a wide berth not wanting to get caught up in their duel. This allowed Gemin to focus on the enemy before him. He noticed his opponent’s stance was rudimentary as if she had only begun training. Pity, he thought with some disappointment, she will hardly present a challenge. 

After letting out a dejected sigh Darth Gemin charged at her with reckless abandon. His lightsaber was a blur as he attacked. Try as he might he could not pierce her defense. Though her style was unpolished it was nevertheless effective at protecting her. She was constantly being pushed back but never seemed to be on the run. As they continued exchanging blows he noticed her strong preference for the Soresu form of combat. There was little extravagance or variety to her technique as though she only knew basic maneuvers. So far they were all she needed to fend off his attacks. Gemin decided that this fight might turn out to be interesting after all.

He continued to probe her defenses all the while trying to determine how the battle around him was going. The Stormtroopers appeared to retreating finally or trying to at the very least. Unfortunately they were pinned down by heavy fire from Republic troops. Gemin decided to give them a hand so they could make good their escape. He led his foe through the ruins closer to where the battle was raging. Through some jagged rocks he spotted several Republic soldiers positioned in a heavily fortified area. The remains of a brick archway spanned the air above them. Time had eaten away at it and the structures it was attached to. Gemin guessed that it was a doorway of some sort through it mattered not. He reached out with the force and pulled at the arch. It easily gave way. Screams came from the soldiers as the heavy brickwork fell upon them.

Darth Gemin did not have long to enjoy his handiwork as his foe began her own ferocious attack. For a moment it was all he could do just to fend off the onslaught. He sensed a bit of anger from her that flowed into each thrust and slash of her lightsaber. He fell back from each strike carefully retreating towards the main path in the process. He could have turned the tables on her but he still wanted to cover the Stormtroopers escape. They had reached the pathway on the hill but could not risk being so exposed.

Gemin needed to find a way to obstruct the path of the Republic troops. He noticed several more arches and similar structures nearby and thought they would come in handy. First he would need to get untangled from his foe. Risking a quick glance up he discovered a substantial structure above them. It was large enough to be a room. A plan had already formed in his mind. He began a counteroffensive on his surprised opponent. After several quick strikes he followed up a with Force push that sent her staggering back several steps. Without pausing he slashed at the structure above and ran away from it as it crumbled.

With the path block he charged towards the battle between the Imperial and Republic soldiers. He would need to contact the lieutenant and explain the plan such that it was. Finding where the troopers were camped out he was somewhat relieved to see the lieutenant still alive. Nearly half his unit was absent. Gemin did not bother sensing for the others. He knew they were likely dead already. Even if they were alive they were beyond saving at this point. Gemin was quick to notice the lieutenant was missing his helmet. A small cut marred his right cheek with a faint trail of blood oozing down from it. The man was still readily identifiable to Gemin. He was pleased to see the ever resourceful Lieutenant Keldor. Though he wanted to greet the officer he knew now was not the time for such pleasantries.

Choosing instead to give orders Gemin spoke to Keldor, “I’ll block their path. When I do, get your troops out of here. Understood?”

Keldor merely nodded before turning to his men to tell them to be ready. Darth Gemin did not wait. Swiftly he began rushing towards one of the three remaining access points to the main path. A flurry of blaster fire greeted him. Deflecting it all away he focused on taking out the arches. There were two passages that were close together. He reached out with the Force and pulled at the left one. It gave way with little effort. The structure on the right was a bit more troublesome. Still warding off blaster fire he raised his lightsaber ready to strike at the archway when an explosion erupted from the direction of the third passage. He could sense some of the Stormtroopers in that area. Lieutenant Keldor must have taken out that route leaving only the path ahead of him. Gemin prepared once again to take out the structure when he saw the Force user running towards him. Charging forward Gemin struck at the brickwork above him. He was just clear of it as it crashed down behind him. With the Republic soldiers’ advance effectively cut off he was able to focus on his foe once more.

This time he sensed fear in his opponent along with determination. Gemin was given little time to size up his enemy as she launched head long into an attack. Repelling the strikes with ease he began hunting down Republic soldiers as they duelled. Anger began to well up in his opponent as she realised what he was doing. Is she that protective of these soldiers or is she more upset by how dismissive I am of her and her abilities, Gemin wondered. Regardless of her reasons anger flowed into her attacks yet again and each strike became more erratic. He could have taken advantage of several openings but these duels had become an increasingly rare opportunity so he chose to let it play out a bit longer.

As their battle continued he began to get lost in the fun of it and even forgot about the impending threat. Most of the Republic soldiers that accompanied his opponent were dead now allowing him to focus more of his attention on the Force user. As he drove his offensive they neared a brick wall that appeared to have sustained little damage over the years. It was likely the closest to a fully intact structure in the ruins. They fought beside it with their silhouettes dancing along the wall. Everything was going Gemin’s way until a wave of unexpected fear overtook him. He half staggered a step as some hidden darkness began pulling at him from the other side of the wall. His mind was taken to another place. He seemed to float in a haze. Looking ahead he saw a dark field below. Upon it was an army of red monstrosities charging towards the only source of light. He wanted to get a better look and willed himself forward. As he began to move he was suddenly pulled back into the middle of his duel. If he had been any less skilled he would have been killed in an instant. As it was it took all his resolve to fend off his assailant. He stumbled about in a daze as his lightsaber moved almost of its own volition. Years of practice had made the maneuvers reflexive especially when combined with his skill in the Force. In that moment he needed the motions to be autonomous as his mind was elsewhere entirely. It was difficult for him to focus on the fight as he was desperately trying to understand the vision he had just seen. Gemin could still feel the pull from beyond the wall. He surmised this place was once a Sith temple from an era long past. Ruefully he dismissed the idea of returning to it from his mind. It would be nearly impossible to gain access once the battle for the star system was lost.

As if on cue he sensed great danger for the Imperial armada above the planet. In moments a fleet of ten or more Juggernauts dropped out of light speed into the system. A twinge of panic struck him as he realised he was cut off from his ship with little time to get to it before the Juggernauts laid waste to the landing bay it was sheltered in. The rock overhang would do little to shield it from their firepower. Bitterly he tried to disengage from the Force user. As much as he would like to have killed his opponent there was no longer enough time to ensure getting off the planet afterwards. His enemy had recovered her composure so it would not be easy to land a killing blow. Gemin was mildly irritated at himself for prolonging the fight. It was alleviated quickly when he reminded himself that they would have a rematch soon enough. With almost childish exuberance he retreated a few steps as he tried to get to the edge of the ruins. His foe was relentlessly upon him at every step. At this pace reaching his fighter would take too long. Gemin tried to recall the passages through the crumbled walls and jagged rocks. If he remembered correctly part of the mountain overlooked his spacecraft.

Darth Gemin wound his way ever closer to the mountains edge. His view of the ocean had become significantly less obstructed. It would be nearly clear once he passed a few more obstacles. The sky above was now littered with explosions as the Juggernauts tore through the Imperial fleet. Not for the first time Gemin hoped that most of the fleet would escape. He tried to estimate the positions of the Juggernauts and redoubled his efforts to get to his ship.

Soon he became so focused on his retreat that he nearly missed a soldier lying in ambush. Gemin sensed imminent danger a moment before the blaster fired towards him. He made to deflect it but knew he would not be fast enough. The bolt raced towards his right hand. The lightsaber he held moved with painful slowness towards it. Using his left hand he reached out with the Force. The blue bolt began to slow down until it stopped inches from his right hand. With a flourish of his left the bolt changed direction as it picked up the pace once more. He sent it towards the Force user who deflected it harmlessly away. Gemin did not let the soldier fire a second time. He sliced upwards at his stunned assailant neatly cutting him in two. The blaster was split in half though a bit unevenly.

Not pausing to enjoy his own handiwork Darth Gemin began fleeing once more. After passing a few more broken structures and rock mounds he at last came to the path at the edge of the mountain. He could almost see where his ship was landed. If he continued along the path it would be nearly over top of it. Perhaps I can drop down from here, he mused. Now the only problem was creating enough separation distance to get to it. He had managed to disengage from the fight but even the slightest pause would allow his foe to catch up. Quickly he ran along the path towards the ship. As he did so he stole a glance at his surroundings hoping to find something to obstruct his pursuer. He finally found what he needed as he closed in on his escape route. The remains of a gate were coming up soon. The gate had long since been destroyed but the surrounding brickwork remained mostly intact. It looked like a small watchtower had once settled upon the gate as well. One side of the structure was built right into the rocks. The other side rested upon a sturdy support pillar. 

Gemin considered breaking the pillar but that would likely prove too time-consuming. Instead he eyed the brickwork that passed overhead. It too looked like it would be difficult to take down. He realised he would need to use his second lightsaber if he wanted to be quick enough.

Gemin chuckled at the irony of needing to duel wield his lightsabers against some half trained Force user. He had killed fully trained Jedi with less effort than he put in now. It had been some time since he was forced to use his second blade. Is one hand for my own hubris? Perhaps it is all just the will of the Force. Darth Gemin knew the Emperor would not find that last though nearly so amusing. Palpatine wanted to control all things including the Force if he could. They had many discussions about the Force’s role in the galaxy and would likely never see eye to eye. Gemin was convinced that the Force was beyond controlling. If there was anything he truly believed it was that all who used it did so at the Force’s whim and attempting to control it only ended in one’s own destruction. He had seen enough of that first hand to be convinced of it.

Gemin had nearly reached the gate when he put his plan into action. With a small use of the force Gemin pulled his second lightsaber into his left hand. Without hesitating he ignited it and a beam of brilliant blue burst forth from it. His opponent was momentarily taken aback. Not waiting for her to regain composure he performed a Force push at the ground below her feet. Dust and small rocks shot up as the Force user stumbled back. On the heels of the attack Gemin ran under the archway and struck at it with both lightsabers. The structure began to groan as he hacked away at it. His opponent had steadied herself and began charging forwards. At the same time Darth Gemin continued to run to the far side all the while still striking at the gate. When Gemin reached the end the whole structure collapsed into a heap of rubble. The Force wielder nearly ran headlong into the falling debris but managed to stop just before crashing into the mess.

With his foe temporarily block Gemin used the brief respite to figure out how to get down to his ship. He stared down the slope of the hill. It went on for some ways before sharply dropping off. There would be a gap between this mountain and the small piece of land his ship was on. Gemin thought he could jump the gap as the cliff edge was still much higher than the ground below. It was just a matter of picking up enough speed and aiming correctly. A worrisome thought popped into his head. If he recalled correctly they were a lot of rock spires near his ship. Gemin thought it would be tricky to try and land among them. His best bet was to aim for the cockpit of his fighter. 

Gemin’s fighter was a modified T-87 X-wing. He had chosen it as a mockery of the standard Republic craft. His was painted black. The tips of the wings had small fins that curved back towards the ship’s body. Each fin had additional weaponry affixed to it. A pair of retractable laser cannons had been installed on either side of the front landing gear. The body of the ship had smoothed over instead of the traditional boxy look. The astromech pod was better shielded and a bit more recessed. Inside sat a green and gold R3 unit that provided the only colouration on the ship.

As Darth Gemin prepared his descent he contacted his astromech droid. “Arty! Open the cockpit and prepare the ship for takeoff. I’ll been there shortly.”

The droid beeped a frantic response. It was a particularly excitable unit. Despite its hyperactive demeanor it had never acted rashly. Yet, Gemin thought wryly. He found the droid to be dependable and quite situationally aware. Darth Gemin had used other astromechs before but this R3 unit had proved to be the only reliable one of the bunch. 

With the ship ready all that was left was figuring out how to get down the hillside with enough speed. He looked around for something he could use. There was nothing but rock spires. A particularly large one stood out to Gemin. It was situated along the side of the path overlooking the slope. He ran over to it. As he reached it he saw his foe jump over the debris that was the gate. Gemin smiled though no one would see it. It was too late for the Force user to reach him. With no time to steady his nerves he slashed at the stone spire so that it would fall away from the path. This is where the fun begins, he thought to himself as he watched it pitch over the edge. As it landed on the hillside it began sliding. Gemin quickly jumped on top of it wobbling only for a moment before regaining his balance. The stone slab started to pick up speed.

Darth Gemin caught a glimpse of his foe out of the corner of his eye. She was just reaching the place where the now liberated rock he was riding had come from. That was all the attention he could give as a forest of stone spires appeared to be hurtling towards him. Frantically Gemin pointed his lightsabers towards the hillside and drove them into the ground in an attempt to steer his makeshift sled. He narrowly dodged the first one before he became consumed by the rhythm of deking and dodging.

Gemin sped down the hill gaining speed as he went. The rock slab accelerated even with his lightsabers imbedded in the ground acting as brakes. He constantly adjusted their positions as he instinctively maneuvered around the rock spires. Gemin always stayed a step ahead of them. As he raced down the hillside he began to notice that the stone slab was getting smaller. The constant grinding of stone on stone was wearing away at his sled. If things kept up he would run out of rock before he reached the drop-off. Gemin carefully repositioned his feet and shifted his weight towards the back of the sled. The front end began to rise off the ground ever so slightly. The back end began to wear away even faster but the rest of the sled was spared. As Gemin caromed down the mountain he was constantly inching forward on the stone slab all the while trying to dodge the spires. 

Suddenly the cliff edge came flying into view. Right before the drop off was a wall of jagged rocks. Instinctively Darth Gemin knew he would have to jump over them. He lined his path up with his ship below. Gemin understood he would only get one shot at this. Fortunately the last stretch of land on the upper hill had no impeding spires so he could focus entirely on the jump. He bent his legs readying them for the leap. Gemin began a countdown in his head, 5-4-3. The rock wall was rushing towards him and his sled grew smaller and smaller. It barely accommodated both his feet. There would be no room for error on the jump. 2-1. He leapt with all his might as he disengaged his lightsabers. His body sailed over the rocks clearing them by only the smallest of margins. What still remained of the stone slab crashed into and through them. A flurry of rocks erupted over the edge.

Gemin did not have time to worry about them. His focus was on sticking the landing. As he flew through the air he could see the small inlet dividing the cliff he had left and the small hillock his fighter was on. Partway up the lower hill there was a small recess. It was here that his ship sat. His descent appeared to be on target though he knew he was in for a rough landing. It was not a long fall but he still carried a lot of sideways momentum. Checking his aim one last time he rotated his body so that he would be facing the right way when he landed. The cockpit canopy began to close just before he landed. Frantically Gemin wondered, what is Arty doing? That was all he had time to think before he crashed into the pilots seat with a thud. His right shoulder slammed into the side of the ship instantly numbing it and causing him to drop the lightsaber in that side’s hand. The canopy had nearly closed over head when a hail of rocks began pummeling the ship.

Gemin used his one good arm to halt the rocks with the Force. He had nearly berated Arty but now sheepishly said, “Thanks Arty. Let’s get out of here.” Arty beeped a jovial response and the ship took off. “Yes Arty. Back to the Mistrabo system.” Again the droid beeped and Gemin thought it sounded chuffed.

As the ship exited the planet’s atmosphere Gemin could see a Juggernaut approaching. It would not reach them but it was still and unsettling sight. They looked like a slightly smaller version of a Star Destroyer with sharper edges all around. What they lacked in size they made up for in sheer firepower. The weaponry on the ship was truly daunting. Each Juggernaut came with several high power cannons that could rip holes through most large vessels defenses. These even had the capability of attacking planetary structures shielded or otherwise. Surrounding these weapons and placed on nearly every exposed surface was an assortment of smaller cannons and turrets meant to take care of any fighter foolish enough to get close. The Emperor had promised that a solution to these monstrosities was in the works but for now their only choice was to flee. One Juggernaut could singlehandedly take down an entire fleet. The Republic had at least thirty of them at their command. Fortunately the material needed for the high power cannons was in short supply or else their fleet would have attained dominance throughout the galaxy already. When the Juggernauts invaded a system was quickly lost to the Republic. The Empire was quick to find and takeover territories not guarded by them. Gemin often wondered how much longer they could hold out in this never-ending game of trading star systems. Maybe that’s why Palpatine wants to conduct peace talks all of a sudden. Gemin was sure there was more to it given the Emperor’s tendency to plot and scheme. He was surprised they had not started sooner given the Empire’s current disadvantage.

Gemin continued watching. One of the Juggernauts opened fire on the planet below. He could tell that his previous landing bay had just been obliterated. It was difficult for him to suppress a shudder. Gemin looked away from the carnage as Arty beeped that they were going to make the jump to light speed. As he looked forward the stars began to stretch into bright lines. Gemin realized he had been holding his breath since takeoff and released it. He could no longer sense imminent danger.

Chapter 5:

Planet Mistrabo II:

The Emperor’s office was beyond opulent. The walls were decorated in all manner of gaudy artwork. Several intricate statues lined the sides of the room. The far wall was less a wall and more a window made from a single solid pane of glass that noticeably curved outwards. Drapes lined the sides that could be closed to offer more privacy. In front of the window were the only pieces of furniture in the room. These were a handful of chairs and a desk. Of the chairs four small ones were placed in a line facing the desk and window. They were paired up with a wide gap running down the middle of the room. These chairs were plain compared to everything else in the room yet still ornate in their own right. The desk nearly spanned the width of the room leaving a small walkway to either side. It was situated on a raised platform so that it loomed over the chairs below. Behind the desk was an oversized chair that could have served as a throne. The seat and back were dark black with thin lines of gold for the edging and details. The top of the chair towered above its occupant. The entire arrangement was meant to showcase the wealth and menace of the Emperor.

Darth Gemin had long ago become accustomed to glamour and to some extent the imposing nature of his master. Today the man sitting in the chair gave him pause. The Emperor was furious. Gemin had sensed his anger the moment he entered the system. At this close range he thought he could have felt it without even using the Force. Palpatine sat in his chair with a baleful unblinking gaze directed at Gemin. Reporting failure was never an enviable task. Gemin had knelt down and still waited somewhat impatiently for the Emperor to speak. His head was tilted downwards but his eyes glared upwards at his master.

Finally the Emperor began to speak, “You disappoint me yet again, Lord Gemin.”

Gemin tried to reply, “I-It’s…” before being cut off.

“No excuses,” the Emperor spat, “If you cannot deliver results than perhaps I shall replace you. It should have been simple enough to take the planet and now there is nothing of value left there. The Republic obliterated the ruins. ” He said ‘Republic’ with a great amount of contempt.

“You cannot blame me for today’s failure. We had nearly overrun them before the Juggernauts showed up. You promised a solution for them some time ago and still we wait. The system would be ours if you had delivered on that promise,” Gemin replied with fiery defiance.

“And if you could be more than a shell of your true power we would already rule the galaxy! Instead time and again you fail to fully realise your hate and that makes you weak. You will never fulfill your destiny in this state. When I rescued you on that barren rock I saw in you the potential to become the most powerful Sith Lord the galaxy has ever seen. There is so much untapped power in you but no path to realising it. You are unworthy of the Sith name. Even now as I berate you I sense only the slightest amount of anger in you.” 

Gemin lowered his head, “I am sorry my master. I want to be stronger. I want to draw on my hate but there is nothing there. I feel nothing. There is an emptiness within me that cannot be filled. All the anger I possess gets lost like grains of sand in the storm. I feel… Lost. What can I do to attain this power?”

“Fear not Lord Gemin. I have put into motion many plots to push you to what you must become. You are broken. I see in you two distinct parts fighting for supremacy, inhibiting each other. Until you learn to let go of one you will always be collared by both. In time and with my training you will overcome this obstacle. When you are able to focus, able to be of one mind you will be unstoppable.”

“Then I will achieve greatness?”

“I have foreseen it. It is your destiny. But you will need a little more patience. The time is not yet right… but soon. Soon the galaxy will tremble at the utterance of your name.” The Emperor paused in thought, “For now we must make do with the skills you possess. We will discuss the Juggernauts later. Prototypes for the Juggernaut busters are nearly ready for field testing. When completed I shall send them alongside a fleet to the Outer Rim to restore order to the sector. In the meantime diplomacy must reign here. I want you to inform Moff Klugl that he must prepare himself for tonight’s negotiations. After that you will make yourself scarce. Is that Understood?”

Gemin took a moment to absorb the information before responding, “It will be done, my master.” He then rose to his feet. Turning around he strode out of the room. People and droids were quick to shy away from him as he made his way to Moff Klugl’s quarters.

Chapter 6:

Gemin sat on his bed. There was little else in the way of furniture beyond a small writing desk and accompanying chair. A dresser stood nearby though most of his clothes were placed in a closet. There were no decorations and only the simplest of lighting so the room he inhabited was otherwise empty. There was a window overlooking an industrial sector of the neighbouring city. An eternal smoky haze blocked much of the light that would have otherwise entered his room. To make matters worse the sun had mostly set and the moon had yet to rise. This left the synthetic lighting in the room as its only real illumination. 

As he sat there in the dimness he reflected on the day’s events. How could he utilise his anger? The answer eluded him. Even his frustration seemed to dissipate the moment it bubbled up. The way the day had been going so far he half expected the ghost that haunted his room to show up an heckle him.

As if on cue the green little monster appeared before him. There was a blue hue to it but its base colour shone through it. It always possessed a calm demeanor that irritated Gemin to no end. Lashing out at it had proved futile thus far as it had no corporeal presence. Lightsabers and lightning had passed right through the hateful creature. He had once suspected it was merely a hologram projection. Destroying all nearby electronics had failed to dissipate the image so unless it was a long range projector this apparition was real. Or in his head, Gemin thought ruefully. For a while he had wrestled with the idea that he had gone mad, however; this creature knew things he could not have. It had proved most insightful into the history of the galaxy though its manner of speak left something to be desired. 

Gemin tried to ignore the creature but he could not stop his eyes from being drawn to it. Releasing a heavy sigh he resignedly asked, “What do you want?”

The creature regarded him for a moment before responding, “Full of dark thoughts, you are. Not think this way you must, if protecting the galaxy you wish.”

“What do I care about the galaxy? It’s only ever taken from me.”

“See through you, I can.”

“I think you have that backwards.”

The creature chuckled briefly before it spoke, “You hide behind that mask. Bury your feelings in darkness you do. Your actions betray your words. If care not you did, why save so many? Hmmm?”

Gemin usually avoided arguing with the creature but his earlier encounter with the Emperor pushed him to take the bait. “I protect those that don’t deserve such pain. And I give out pain to those that deserve my wrath.”

“The arbiter of righteousness, are you?”

“I do what I think is right, nothing more.”

“Hurt you so many in the pursuit of what is right.”

“I don’t make the rules… Ahh, you wouldn’t understand.”

“Understand too well I do. Easy it is to justify doing wrong in the pursuit of what you believe is right. Blinded I was. Make the same mistake you must not.”

“I will not be held back by your fears.” Gemin continued half under his breath, “Nor my own.”

“My fear it was that pushed me forward. Held back I wish I was.”

“Who are you?”

“Not ready are you for that.”

Gemin spat, “Is there any question you can answer?” 

“There are many questions. Ask you the right ones and I shall answer.”

“Fine, fine.” Gemin waved a dismissive hand before pausing in thought. “Can you tell me about the vision I saw today?”

“Dangerous, seeing the future is,” the creature spoke in a concerned tone.

“So it was the future.” Gemin pondered the meaning of it before continuing. The creature seemed not to mind the brief break in their conversation. The look on its face was a mix of expectation and ‘In your own time,’ that would have ordinarily sent him into a fit of rage. Instead he took a deep calming breath and began his brief tale. “In the vision there were these red monstrosities. They were too far away for details but they seemed to be close in size to humans. Do you have any idea what they are?”

“Many are the possibilities. Details we are surely lacking if you want to reveal the truth.”

Gemin grimaced behind his helmet. Still he continued on despite his misgivings. “These creatures, there were so many of them. They were charging towards a light as if they meant to destroy it.”

The creatures voice became grave, “Servants of the Dark Side they must be. To snuff out the light is their goal. Stop them you must or all will suffer.” He left extra spacing between his last few words to provide greater emphasis that caused an unnatural chill in the room.

“But how do I…”

“In time you will learn what you need to know. For now protect what you can of this galaxy. Grow stronger in the Force but do not give in to the Dark Side or all will be lost.”

“I do not fear the Dark Side.”

“And yet embrace it you do not.”

The creature gave him one last appraising look before disappearing. Frustrated and even more confused than before Gemin prepared to meditate on the day’s events. The Emperor had tried to extinguish all the behaviors from his past life but he had steadfastly held onto this. For many weeks he had endured a seemingly unceasing agony as Palpatine had shocked him with Force lightning. Eventually his resolve had won out and the Emperor relented.

Now he sat there in the dark room trying to empty his mind. As he did so he reached out to the Force. Ordinarily he would visit his dreams. They might even have been old memories but they never seemed to be in his perspective. Now he drifted into a peaceful one. There he was as a small child running around in the backyard. What he was playing was beyond memory but it had been such a happy time. The young version of him was racing about while looking over his shoulder. A hand was outstretched and pointed towards a disk floating in the air behind him. It seemed to follow him everywhere he ran. Darth Gemin flitted between several other dreams but occasionally he heard an unexpected female voice. This was a new experience yet he somehow found the voice familiar and comforting. Though it briefly startled him it never quite broke him out of his meditation as it called out to him saying, “The balance is slipping. Be careful young one.” After the voice stopped his mind would shift to another dream. This went on for some time as he floated on the edge of consciousness.

Chapter 7:

Moff Klugl was dressed in his formal military uniform. It was nearly the same as his regular one though the detailing was a little fancier and far less practical. Besides his rank there were additional medals and insignias denoting service records and other accomplishments. Usually the outfit was accompanied by ceremonial weaponry but he had left them behind in the interest of peace. Additionally the blaster he carried on his hip was absent. It was unlikely any fighting would happen tonight and he tried not to think of the consequences if a scuffle did break out. That’s the wrong mindset, he reprimanded himself. Tonight was to be a night of peace and understanding. He straightened out some of his dark brown hair that was only out of place in his mind. Oftentimes it a strand would fall in front of his hazel eyes but today’s events were too important to appear unkempt. His hair was nearly shoulder length and currently pulled back away from his face almost symmetrically. Klugl was afforded many such luxuries that other officers were not. His service record spoke for itself as he advanced the Emperor’s control throughout the galaxy. He was considered one of the best negotiators in the Empire which is why he was dragged into the peace talks between the Republic and Empire. Klugl had never negotiated a deal of this scale before and he was a little nervous for this first meeting. They had agreed to host the preliminary discussions on the capitol planet of the Empire. If things progressed well the scale of the meetings would be reduced but for now the grand hall was the only room large enough to host all the attendees.

Moff Klugl surveyed the grand hall from just outside a large doorway at the side entrance. The room was massive with a high arching ceiling that only served to further point out just how enormous the structure was. There were no support pillars and it always amazed Klugl that the room never collapsed under its own weight. The room was much wider than it was long. The main entrance was so far away that it was difficult to make out the details on the vaulted doors. The far side of the room was even worse. He could barely distinguish the doorways at the bottom. There were three identical windows on the far side. They were long and thin, stretching from midway up the wall all the way to the ceiling. Currently only the dark of night was visible in them. The blackness contrasted heavily with the white synthetic walls. From the outside the room looked like it was made of large yellow stones but these had been replaced on the inside as the citadel was modernised. What little remained of them was purely for aesthetics.

In the center of the room along the back wall was a raised platform in the shape of a semi-circle that covered a quarter of the room’s width. This stage stood several feet above the main floor with a number of staircases leading up to it. One in particular was larger than the rest and it stood directly in line with the main entrance. An ornate red carpet that was wide enough for ten men or more stretched from the doorway to this staircase before proceeding up the steps. When it reached the top it met up with a much larger carpet that covered nearly the entire raised platform. Aside from this the rest of the room had only bare marble flooring. Though the edges looked pristine the middle of the floor looked a bit timeworn from all the use it had received through the centuries. Despite all this it still was well maintained and shone brilliantly from a recent coat of polish.

The front of the room had four long tables paired together on either side of the main entrance and placed nearly end to end. There was a gap between the pairings that was large enough for three people to pass through comfortably. This allowed most of the non-humanoid species to fit as well. The combined length of the tables was approximately half that of the room. Seated at the tables were hundreds of delegates and military officials. On the side closest to the entrance and facing the raised platform sat senators from the Republic and other affiliated dignitaries. Sitting with their backs to the stage were representatives of the Empire. This included most of the Moffs and a number of the Grand Moffs. Over half of the seats were already filled but a large contingent of the guests were still milling about. Klugl debated joining one of the groups but decided to enjoy his solitude for just a bit longer. Very few would be entering from this part of the room so he was unlikely to be disturbed while he hid in the shadows.

He continued to observe the room from his isolated entrance. On either side of the stage was an orchestra. They were comprised of a multitude of species some of which Klugl did not recognize. They were gently playing a wide variety of instruments. Moff Klugl was unfamiliar with the song but it was very peaceful to listen to. How fitting for tonight’s theme, he thought. Klugl’s attention turned to the stage. In the center of it was a much smaller table than the ones of the lower level. It might have been able to seat twenty people but only a lone chair was placed on the far side of it. The chair itself was quite menacing though it was much more intimidating when the Emperor occupied it. Currently it sat forlorn as its owner had yet to make his entrance. Klugl could just make out the faint traces of a doorway behind the chair. He half expected the Emperor to come bursting through that door at any second in a fury that people were still milling about.

Klugl began searching through the Republic delegates to see if anyone important had been brave enough to attend. He did not expect to find any as this was the capitol of the Empire after all. In spite of that he kept scanning the tables to see if he could spot the chancellor or vice chancellor. After a couple minutes of looking he gave up. The closest he came to spotting anyone important was among the largest group of mingling dignitaries. Twenty or so stood about in a circle all paying attention to a Gran. It took him a moment to identify Senator Raishin from the Malastare system. From what Klugl had heard Raishin was fairly influential in the senate and a constant thorn in the vice chancellor’s side. He was likely the most important delegate from the Republic aside from a handful of military officers. Little could be accomplished with those present but it was to be expected as this initial meeting was only meant to be a gesture of good will and a first step to fostering peace.

Seeing no further reason to remain in the doorway he began to walk towards the tables seeking an open seat. Taking no more than a step or two past the entrance he was suddenly grabbed by his left arm. He tensed up and instinctively he reached at his waist for a weapon to defend himself before realising he had not brought one to this peace initiative.

He could hear a melodious giggle coming from behind him before a women spoke in his ear, “You’re quite the jumpy one aren’t you?”

Klugl let his muscles relax as he looked over his shoulders. He attempted to respond but the words he was going to say were lost as he locked eyes with the person still holding onto his arm. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her eyes were a dark blue that he felt he was drowning in. Dark brown hair cascaded down her back in ornate braids of varying sizes. Some of them were pulled back up in complex patterns he could not begin to follow as the braids looped around each other. She had a youthful look to her face and he estimated she was only a couple years younger than he was. In contrast to his own sun browned skin hers was a pale white that made her hair and eyes all the more striking. She was thin yet full figured. There was a certain strength to her build yet she was not overly muscular. This was all further accentuated by her blue dress. It was pale near the top but gradually turned to dark by the time it reached the bottom. Gems were woven into the lower fabric and shone like starbursts in a night sky. She had several pieces of jewelry on including a gold bracelet on her right hand. Her earrings contained diamonds that matched the ones on her dress. The bauble on her necklace contained a larger version encircled by several tiny turquoise gemstones. As he took all her in she patiently stood there smiling at him. His jaw twitched helplessly as he attempted to find something less reproachful to say. Eventually he managed to helplessly sputter, “Hi.”

“Shy too, I see.” Her cheery yet teasing tone both irritated and intrigued Klugl.

“No, I… You just caught me off guard,” he finished accusingly. Clearing his throat he continued, “I am Moff Klugl, at your service.”

She smiled knowingly, “A pleasure to make your acquaintance Moff Klugl. I’m Senator Dreya Serenaba, representative of the Luine system”

“Would you care to join me for dinner senator?” He thought he had recovered his composure rather well.

She replied almost on the verge of laughter, “That’s exactly what I had in mind.”

Without another word Dreya tugged on his arm and guided him towards the tables. They searched for a pair of open seats that faced each other but by this time there were only a few empty chairs left. Klugl barely had time to think, when did they all sit down? A feeling of worry came over him when they reached the final table and still had not found a place to sit. He could not suppress a sigh of relief when he discovered the seats on either side of the far end were empty. In that same moment Dreya pulled fervently on his arm. She clearly wanted to claim the spot before anyone else beat them to it so they picked up the pace. They half ran the final stretch when they noticed another guest aiming for their spot. They burst into a fit of laughter as they collapsed into their seats. Their mirth was cut short when a sudden hush fell upon the room. Even the music had stopped. Following Dreya’s eyes Klugl looked over his shoulder and watched as the Emperor arrived at his seat at the head table. 

The room seemed to fill with the Emperor’s voice. “Greetings honoured delegates,” it boomed, “Welcome to my home. I sincerely hope you all enjoy tonight’s festivities. It is my deepest wish that our gathering tonight will foster better understanding between us so that we may create the foundations for peace in the galaxy.” As he spoke his right hand rose up. He pointed a finger to the far left of the room before sweeping it across the entirety of the room stopping directly on Moff Klugl. His head seemed to follow his arm. Klugl tried to shy away from the intense stare. He would have preferred to avoid the Emperors notice and had planned on burying himself in the crowd until Dreya had derailed that idea.

To Moff Klugl the Emperor’s scrutiny seemed to last for several minutes. In reality only a moment or so had passed before his gaze lifted. Klugl was so unnerved from being this exposed that he barely heard the rest of the Emperor’s speech. He only barely caught the ending, “And now for dinner and the entertainment!” The Emperor finished with some excitement while raising his hands out to either side. On cue the orchestra began playing. Several guests from either side of the table began clapping and cheering though evidently more celebration came from the Imperial side than that of the Republic. The Emperor promptly sat down and servants began to bring out the first course.

\-------------------------------------------------------------//-------------------------------------------------------------

Senator Serenaba noticed a number of oddities about her dinner companion during the course of the meal. Their conversation had covered a broad range of topics but whenever it touched upon his home world he became agitated and quickly changed the subject. Another curiosity was his dining habits. He never seemed to finish any of the dishes and quite often left untouched what she deemed to be the best parts. She got the feeling that it was not simply a matter of taste. As she pondered his behavior she realised the conversation had started to ebb.

Quickly she asked a question she had been saving, “Is Klugl your real name?”

Moff Klugl nearly choked on his drink. He coughed for a few seconds before recovering. “No. It is an honorary title though I have used it for so long now it feels like it is my birth name. The Klugelians have a long history of naming their leaders Klugl. During the era of the Republic that would have been senator Klugl. Under Imperial rule they demanded their Moff adopt the name. In an attempt to avoid secession from the Empire it was deemed prudent to bend to their wishes.” All through their meal he had spoken in a stiff and formal manner. As he started to warm up to her during the meal there had been a few times when he had begun to relax and let the formality slip. He was quick to catch himself and return to his rigid style of discourse. Dreya was certain he would open up to her eventually.

“I’m surprised. I would not have thought the Empire capable of listening to its people.” Dreya winced a little. The Moff was on edge enough and she did not want to make the conversation combative. 

“The Empire is not as callous as you have been made to believe,” Klugl replied curtly before softening his tone, “Can you not entertain the idea that we care about the people we govern?”

“I’ve seen the way the Empire cares for its people,” Dreya responded flippantly.

“You make it sound as though the Republic does not have blood on its hands. I have heard about a great many atrocities that they have committed. The assault on the Gelvin system for example.”

Dreya worried that the conversation was heating up but she could not let Moff Klugl’s last remark stand. “That is just Imperial propaganda. The Republic’s target was the factories and shipyards. Some damage to the surrounding villages was inevitable with how close they were built.”

“I have a friend who was living there during the attack. He got to witness firsthand how the villages were laid to waste. Would you deny his account of citizens being gunned down in the streets by your Republic soldiers?” Dreya tried to respond but could find no words. She could see a fierce anger in Klugl’s eye and regretted pushing the conversation in this direction. Clearly it hit close to home, possibly more so than he let on. Before she could piece together a sentence Klugl continued, “A lot of orphans were made that day. Are their accounts propaganda too? I wouldn’t say the Empire is perfect but I have seen far too many heinous acts by the Republic army to believe they have the people’s best interest at heart.”

Dreya floundered trying to find a way to shift the topic but was saved when a young serving boy brought in the next course. The momentary distraction allowed her to gather her thoughts. Once the child had left she spoke, “this train of thought will get us nowhere. If we spend all our time arguing about who wronged who we will undermine the whole purpose of this event.”

Moff Klugl looked a little sheepish as he responded, “My humblest apologies. You are right of course. I was letting my emotions get the better of me. All that suffering has never sat well with me. Perhaps we should focus more on how to prevent such events instead.” He hastily added, “On both sides of course.” He gave her a warm smile. His earlier hostility had seemingly vanished in an instant.

Dreya breathed a sigh of relief. They continued on with their conversation without further incident. For the first time since the Republic had announced the event Senator Serenaba felt hope that peace was possible between the two factions.

Chapter 8:

The mood at the tables had changed since the start of the feast. At the outset the guests had been standoffish with hints of hostility thrown into the conversation. As the meal progressed so too did the attitudes of the people sitting and eating. At one table raucous laughter continuously erupted as military officers from both sides traded heroic tales and old war stories. Some nearby government officials looked at them with disdain, preferring what they deemed to be more civilised manners at the table. All in all the peace talks were a triumph as both sides gained a better understanding of each other. 

Dreya could feel the positive atmosphere filling the grand hall. Her interactions with Moff Klugl matched the mood of the festivities perfectly. She had developed a fondness for him over the course of the meal and was saddened that it was nearing its close. A final course was being brought out. This was the third desert that had been served. She had found the second one to be quite repulsive in taste and had not touched it. It had been a delicacy for some alien species but it certainly did not appeal to her or most of the humans within view. Klugl on the other hand had hastily devoured his though she could have sworn he had grimaced uncomfortably as he did so.

After the inedible second desert she hoped this final confection made up for it. A handful of young children brought covered plates to them. Setting the plates down on the table they then proceeded to carefully remove the covers. Dreya was pleasantly surprised to discover a Luinion styled cake underneath. She was about to dig in when Klugl started to make a fuss. Her beaming smile turned into a concerned frown as she listened to his conversation with serving boy that had delivered his cake.

“What’s the big idea you little scamp,” Klugl said with what appeared to be mock severity. “You know I can’t stand this flavour.” Dreya was shocked to see the usual formality absent from this brief exchange.

The boy took a half step back and bobbed his head in an apologetic bow while uttering, “Sorry Moff Klugl. It’s the only flavour they had for the cakes today and I couldn’t arrive empty handed. I’d’ve been punished for sure.” Dreya noticed that the boy was staring at the cake and she half imagined he was wearing a smile.

“Well, I guess it can’t be helped then. Off you go with it then. Perhaps I will speak to the chef later.”

In the blink of an eye the boy snatched up the plate and spirited it away. This time Dreya was certain she saw a smile on the child’s face. She also noticed that as he left he broke into skipping every few steps. As the boy was nearing the small staff entrance several of the other children rushed to catch up with him. When the boy had made his exit she turned her attention to Klugl. She eyed him suspiciously as he gave her an unconvincing innocent smile while gently shrugging his shoulders. The pieces seemed to click into place all at once for her.

“You’re feeding them,” she exclaimed in a mildly accusatory fashion.

“What makes you think that?” he asked clearly trying to dodge the question.

“You’ve been avoiding the best parts of the meal all night. On top of that you’ve been eating all the normally off-putting dishes as if they were your favourites. The pained expression you wear as you try to force the food down is a dead giveaway.” Dreya finally put to words all that had been puzzling her throughout the banquet. Klugl tried to deny it but she knew the truth of it now.

It was a bit of a shock seeing him in this light. She had heard stories of the tyranny of Moff Klugl. Often people spoke of the ruthless negotiation tactics he employed. He was also described as a brilliant military strategist. Moff Klugl was the type of person the Republic feared to make a deal with. It was the way people viewed him fear and almost reverence that made her take an interest in him in the first place. In fact she had become so curious about him that she specifically sought him out this evening to learn more about his supposed nefarious ways. Instead I find he has a soft spot for orphans, she thought as she involuntarily shook her head.

“I do not have a soft spot for orphans.” Moff Klugl tried to sound fierce but his voice was far from convincing. She did not notice as his eyes briefly flashed a worried look.

Dreya froze. She wondered how much of her thoughts she had said aloud. Trying not to dwell on that embarrassment she quickly pressed the attack, “of course you do. No matter how much you deny it the evidence is clear.”

“I’m just following the Emperor’s lead. He takes in orphans all the time. True, he makes use of them but he also feeds, clothes and houses them.” After a brief pause he added, “They are never overburdened either so it’s not like he’s working them to death or anything.” Being caught off guard like this had caused him to finally drop his formal tone entirely. Klugl appeared to think for a moment before continuing, “They have suffered terribly from the war. I try to reward them at events like this although it’s only a small gesture.”

Dreya smiled invitingly at him and he had to clear a lump in his throat. “Well I think its sweet of you. And as far as small gestures of kindness go, how would you like to share my desert?”

Moff Klugl attempted to reject the offer but Senator Serenaba was relentless. He eventually assented and she moved the plate closer to the center of the table. They constantly locked eyes while eating and conversing. Several seats away someone eyed them and muttered grumpily that peace talks appeared to be going very well at their end of the table. Neither Dreya nor Klugl heard the comment and likely would not have cared even if they had.

They had nearly finished the cake when an announcement was made, “the floor is now open for dancing and socialising. Alternatively, transportation is available just outside the main entrance for those who wish to depart early.” The music which had been quiet and reserved throughout the banquet suddenly picked up the tempo and the volume. Several representatives began to file out of the hall but the vast majority remained. A handful began making their way to the open floor. 

Words became difficult to distinguish with all the added noise. Klugl was feeling a bit downcast by this as it likely meant the conversation was over. Just as he was becoming overwhelmed with self-pity someone grabbed has hands and urged him to his feet. His eyes traced upwards from his hands to a beaming Dreya. She leaned in towards his ear, “C’mon. Let’s dance!” Not waiting for a response she began dragging him over to the lightly crowded dance floor.

For the second time that evening he felt like he floated on air as he trailed after her. They finally reached a spot she was satisfied with and enjoyed the night’s festivities along with the other revelers. They kept talk to a minimum as only shouts could be heard above the din. Moff Klugl could not remember the last time he had been so at ease. He could hardly contain an idiotic grin that constantly threatened to spread across his face. Quite often he forgot to restrain it entirely. Peace talks, politics, war, all of it sailed out of his mind. His only thoughts were on the woman before him. The look on her face perfectly reflected his feelings.

As time wore on he kept wishing the night would never end. But suddenly and inevitably it did. An officious senator from the prominent Republic planet of Cinyen began angling towards them. The Cinyeni was a large bulbous creature. His back was a shiny smooth shell in a dark blue shade that was borderline purple. This made a harsh transition to the front side of him where his face and chest were beige with a hint of green. His stomach was a mass of rippling bulges. The lower half of his body ran parallel to the ground before the top half sharply turned upward. A pair of legs came out of the side of the body slightly behind the bend. They bowed outward making him appear to waddle rather than walk. His legs as well as his arms were spindly and did not look like they could support his substantial girth. The head was fixed to the rest of the body. His face was flat with a large mouth. If there was a nose it was imperceptible without a close examination. The eyes bugged out from the surface in a mix of yellow and green. This creature kept his eyes half squinted giving him an arrogant and disinterested look.

The Cinyeni glided through the crowd towards them. Some of the guests would have argued that it was more bowling over than gliding through. Either way he eventually reached the enamoured duo.

Wearing his most snooty expression he proclaimed, “Senator Serenaba. The hour is late and it is time to depart. Please say your farewells to this,” he paused to give Moff Klugl a mock appraisal before finishing in a dubious tone, “Gentleman.”

“Okay Senator Shelmid. I will be right with you,” Dreya replied but Shelmid had already begun waddling away. The officious senator bumped into several more attendees along the way. Each time he glared at them as if it were their fault he had walked into them.

Dreya and Klugl returned their focus to each other. They both tried to speak and paused for the other to go first. They repeated this a second time before Dreya carried on, “Well, I guess this is goodbye for now. I feel we made great progress in breaking down barriers today.” Before Moff Klugl could respond her hands shot up behind his head and she pulled him in for a kiss. After momentarily being surprised he passionately returned her kiss. He was not sure if it lasted for hours or the briefest of moments. Either way it was too short for his liking. He could have gotten lost in her forever in that moment but was brought back to reality when she gently pushed him away. They both let out a remorseful sigh at the parting followed by Dreya stating in a very matter of fact manner, “That was to encourage future peace talks.”

“Oh, uh… of course. I look forward to our next meeting with great anticipation.”

“Me too,” she said and winked. “Until then,” she began walking away while frequently looking back over her shoulder at him.

“Safe travels Senator Serenaba.” He watched her make her way through the crowd towards the main entrance. Klugl could feel someone’s eyes on him but it was not enough to break his concentration. When Dreya had finally exited the room he began to search for the person staring at him. It did not take long to spot the Emperor still in his chair sullenly gazing at him. If he had disappointed the Emperor then so be it. He tried to gauge whether they were to discuss matters now or later. Taking a probing step forward he watched for visual cues from Palpatine. A subtle hand gesture stopped him in his tracks. So I am to await my sentencing, he thought ruefully. Klugl gently nodded his head towards the side entrance that would eventually lead to his quarters and the Emperor nodded his assent. Moff Klugl was relieved that no discussion would take place tonight. 

Breaking off eye contact he wound his way through the guests towards the far side of the grand hall. He skillfully navigated his way through the throng of people deftly avoiding being dragged into conversations as he went. Exhaustion overtook him once he exited the room. He had not realised just how tiring the night’s activities had been. He was not just physically tired but mentally. Stumbling his way through the corridors he came upon his room. Once he had entered he collapsed onto his bed. Too tired to care, he immediately went to sleep in his dining attire.

Chapter 9:

Moff Klugl and the Emperor strolled through the endless corridors of the citadel. Most of the architecture had been retroactively modernized with a few notable exceptions. The most prominent being the exterior of the grand hall as well as the rooms and hallways connected to it. While those still maintained the ancient stonework and its angular shape the rest of the compound had been converted to a more curved design. From a distance many of the connecting passages appeared like large pipes rather than walkways. It was through one of these tubes that the pair travelled. They conversed as they walked. Much of it was about the previous evening’s festivities.

A pair of guards followed them at a distant. They were close enough to protect the Emperor but far enough to be out of earshot for casual conversation. Their bright red uniforms stood out in the drab background of Mistrabo. Moff Klugl knew they were hardly necessary. He had witnessed the Emperor’s power. It took great effort not to hover a hand over his blaster as they talked.

“The results from last night exceeded even my expectations,” the Emperor droned on. “I had anticipated that many of the participants would be at one another’s throats at the first opportunity.”

“Indeed,” Klugl interjected, “before tonight I had not thought peace would be possible.”

The Emperor laughed sinisterly, “Peace? You misunderstand my intent.”

“Are we not trying to put an end to the war?”

“No, my young Moff. I’m afraid not. This has all been an effort to stall for time until our counter to the Juggernauts is complete. You seem to have done well with that… Senator,” the Emperor struggled with that last word as if it left an unpleasant taste in his mouth.

Klugl stiffened at the mention of Dreya. He tried to hide his agitation. He had seen the way Palpatine exploited such attachments and had no desire to suffer such a fate. Klugl decided to push the discussion towards peace in an effort to distract the Emperor. “She seems to believe peace is possible too. A treaty would help us consolidate our rule against the lesser factions that still resist us.”

“Forget about peace!” There was a fiery look of intense anger in the Emperor’s eyes as he barked the command. Moff Klugl was proud to not recoil from it. “Your role in this matter is to maintain the negotiations while preventing progress in them. You will keep up this subterfuge for as long as I require it and no further. Is that clear Moff Klugl?”

“Yes, your majesty. Whatever it takes for the Empire.”

“Good. When the time is right we shall strike a great blow against our enemies. In the coming weeks Darth Gemin shall be sent to the Outer Rim. I am hoping to free the hyperspace lanes there from the Republic. They seem to have a tenuous relationship with the local crime syndicate. I might need to send you there to negotiate a new deal with them.”

“I don’t think words will be enough to sway their allegiance.”

“Nor do I. Which is why Lord Gemin shall be there. He is to oversee the field testing of our new weapon. I am quite confident that Kenna the Hutt will become amenable to a deal when she sees the destruction of the Republic Juggernauts in the skies above her palace.”

“Kenna the Hutt? Can we trust really her?”

“She may have gained a reputation for betraying others for the right deal but right now we need her and her hyperspace lanes. She will be smart enough to see that we hold the advantage. Once we have dealt with the Republic we will take care of loose ends like her. It is only then that we shall have peace,” there was no warmth in the Emperor’s smile when he finished speaking.

Suppressing a shudder Klugl responded, “A lasting peace. I will do all that I can to make it so. If I am to negotiate with her I suppose I will need to know where Kenna resides in the Outer Rim.”

The Emperor stopped and turned to face him. His smile became even more unsettling if that was possible. Klugl could not shake a feeling of foreboding as he listened. “She lives on a desert planet. A planet rich in galactic history.” He paused for effect before finishing, “Tatooine.”

Chapter 10:

The weeks seemed to fly past. There were a handful of similar meetings with the Republic officials but none equalled that first night. Senator Serenaba attended most of them and spent nearly all of her time consorting with Moff Klugl. The pair had become even closer through these constant interactions and Klugl noticed he was beginning to truly open up to her. The Empire came first in his mind or that was what he told himself. Throughout the negotiations he could feel himself struggling terribly to maintain his loyalty. On Dreya’s latest visit he had nearly let slip that the meetings were merely a stall tactic. He rescued himself from that blunder by feigning choking. Dreya had clearly been sceptical about his coughing fit but it had been enough to shift the conversation to a safer topic.

Meanwhile the prototypes for the Juggernaut busters were nearly complete. They were affectionately referred to as Busters by the crews that built or operated them. After a few more lab tests they would be sent to the Outer Rim along with Darth Gemin. Moff Klugl expected to make an appearance there not long after. Both of them had been house bound in the citadel to foster good will during the peace talks. Several battles had been halted and troops called back as simple truces were created. Gemin had been one of the first to be recalled as his deadliness in battle threatened to destabilise the negotiations. The Republic’s Jedi was also restricted from battle for the same reason. As Moff Klugl was instrumental to the peace talks it was easiest for him to stay in the Mistrabo system. He was well acclimatised to staying in one location for prolonged periods of time but Gemin was far more used to travelling around to different systems. His agitation was clear as day but a necessary burden. There was a second reason to keep Gemin on Mistrabo. He needed to oversee the testing so that he could better utilize them in the field.

There were six prototype Busters being built. Gemin would be departing with four of them to the Outer Rim. If the scouting report was correct there would only be three Juggernauts to contend with in that sector. Darth Gemin wanted to bring all of the Busters just to be sure but the Emperor had denied his request. This had only served to irritate Gemin further. As such most people went out of their way to avoid him further exacerbating the problem.

There was one person who did not avoid him or rather one entity. The small green creature had been a veritable thorn in Gemin’s side. He was relieved when the final tests on the Busters were complete as it meant he would soon escape his nemesis. Gemin had grown to loathe the ethereal blue glow that surrounded the creature. After near daily visits during the last month he had begun to despise holograms as they reminded him of the contemptable alien.

With everything proceeding on schedule it would only be a few more days before he departed to the Outer Rim and left that nightmare behind. The new weapon was little more than a battering ram in his opinion. It was all based on a strange tactical maneuver where a ship was launched into an enemy vessel at light speed. From what Gemin understood an arms race was started over the gambit millennia ago. Shields were constantly being modified to fortify ships and battle stations against the catastrophic destruction this attack could cause. Eventually most battle cruisers and bases had been protected from it. All this had happened so long ago that most ship designers had forgotten about it entirely. To further complicate matters a great amount of knowledge was lost after the fall of the Jedi and the Republic they had watched over. Only a few remembered the strategy. That was until a Resistance officer took out Supreme Chancellor Snoke’s ship. The structure of the ship had been too large for proper shielding. The power requirements resulted in weak spots that the officer exploited. Snoke likely thought no one could get close enough to pull off such a maneuver. Ignorance, arrogance and bad design ultimately doomed the vessel. Since then designs for larger cruisers had been kept relatively small to prevent a thinning of their shielding.

While most sizeable vessels were protected by such technology the Juggernauts had sacrificed defense in favor of offence. The power required to operate its massive arsenal made it unable to support the best shielding. As such a ship in the right circumstances could break through its defenses using this method. The Busters were precisely that ship. It was a medium sized vessel with enough shield disrupting capabilities to provide an opening to attack. The Buster would launch a volley of laser cannon fire to weaken the shield before crashing headlong into. Most of the hull but especially the front of the ship was built or reinforced with Phrik. This enabled it to break through the Juggernaut while being sturdy enough to survive the impact at sub light speed. Weaker material would have failed to significantly damage the Juggernauts. In order to preserve the costly Phrik it was deemed prudent to use it generously in the Busters. Unfortunately supply was limited but there was enough to build a few dozen vessels if they proved successful.

The ship could not operate on its own though. It was designed solely for destroying Juggernauts but was ill suited for regular combat. Other ships would need to act as escort if it was to succeed in its mission. As such a fleet still needed to be assembled but he could manage the next few days knowing that relief was in sight. He had finished reporting the success of the tests to the Emperor and was making his way back to his room. He could not help but feel uplifted. His good mood was instantly soured when he entered his quarters.

Sitting at the edge of his bed was the insolent creature. It smiled kindly at him. “Pleased to see me, are you?”

Gemin frowned, “pleased to be leaving you.”

“Going somewhere?”

“Yes, to the Outer Rim,” Gemin had stopped trying to speak guardedly around the creature. It only seemed to appear for him anyways.

“Big, the Outer Rim is. Yes. Long trip to visit it all.”

“I’m not seeing all of it,” Gemin responded with exasperation, “Just Tatooine and maybe some other nearby systems.” Gemin winced when the green alien’s eyes lit up at the mention of the planet.

“Oh, Tatooine. Some great Jedi came from there.”

“And how would you know?”

“Trained them I did.” The creature became gravely serious.

“Then you are a Jedi?” Gemin asked incredulously.

“I was. Master Yoda they called me.”

This was the first time the creature had revealed its name to him. Puzzled by the response he decided to learn more about this Yoda’s pupils. “Tell me about the Jedi you trained Master Yoda.” The creature seemed shaken. Another first, Gemin thought smugly.

“Strong in the Force they were. A great change they brought… And great calamity.” Yoda wore a remorseful expression. After an uncomfortable silence he continued, “More will you learn on your journey. Contemplate on this turn of events I shall. As should you.” The seriousness in Yoda’s tone made Gemin give his words extra consideration. 

“Is there anything I should be mindful of in particular?” Gemin had to fight off the usual flippant manner of speaking he used with the creature. It clearly held a wealth of knowledge he had not expected.

“The will of the Force. Guide you it will if you are ready to listen. A great peril it is to ignore.” Yoda started to walk away. Taking one last backwards glance he exclaimed, “Changed will you be, when next we meet.” He made one last appraising look before disappearing.

Gemin’s head reeled. He had so many questions he did not know where to begin. Why did Yoda wait until now to be useful? He wanted to know more about the creature. He wanted to know more about the Jedi he had trained. Could Tatooine really hold so many answers? Did it hold any? Darth Gemin found the idea incredulous but he desperately wanted answers now. After several minutes of thinking, Yoda’s parting shot finally sunk in. He’s going to leave me alone. At any other time he would have been ecstatic. Now he begrudgingly wished he could speak to the creature again to get more answers, even ones as cryptic as they usually were. An overwhelming surge of resolve filled Gemin as he prepared his mind for what Tatooine might hold.

Chapter 11:

The hanger was a wide open expanse that could serve many ships. The lower floor was comprised mostly of metal gratings. Ramps of similar design led upwards to the entrance floor. Here several balconies loomed over the vessels below. Ordinarily there were several ships in the hangar but recent activity had left it clear save for an Imperial shuttle. This relic of the old Empire had been restored at the behest of the Emperor. He had spared no effort to recreate every miniscule detail of the outdated vessel. Final preparations for the shuttle had just been completed. Most of the crew was already on board. The only thing missing was its esteemed passenger.

While the shuttle sat idly in the docking bay a handful of people observed it from the upper level. Among them were the Emperor and Darth Gemin. A trio of delegates stood near the Emperor while Gemin stood adjacent to them. The conversation had so far been an unnecessary reiteration of the plan. Gemin was only half paying attention when the topic suddenly changed.

“You will take this representative with you,” the Emperor ordered while pointing to the delegate in the middle. 

All three were from the same species. They were humanoid in shape though more gangly in stature. Their ears were overly large and reminded Gemin of some pitiful aquatic race he had met before. What were the called again? Ganglins? Gun-Grins? Bah, it doesn’t matter. Unlike those creatures the ones before him had faces more similar to his own. All their features were sharp and angular with moderately grey skin pulled tightly across their faces. Even the ears had a jagged look to them. Their round black eyes stood out almost comically due to their bulbous and whimsical appearance. Gemin despised the creatures on principal. So he is to spy on me? We shall see about that.

The Emperor continued instructing, “The Noprikars are notorious for being sympathetic to the criminal underbelly of the galaxy. As a high ranking delegate from there I’m certain that ZaZhaa Brems will be able to assist Moff Klugl in negotiations with the Hutts.” The Emperor stared at Gemin intensely, “Recently our relations with the Noprikar have faltered. This joint venture is required to bring them back into the fold.”

The unfortunate creature began walking towards Gemin with an idiotic grin on its face, “We being partners now. Is pleasure to meets you.” His incompetent way of speaking did nothing but infuriate Darth Gemin. He could sense an abundance of the Force coming from ZaZhaa. At first he was wary of a trap but the Noprikar showed no indication of hostility as it closed the distance between them. Waiting until the creature was right in front of him he grabbed his red lightsaber and ignited it. With an upwards slash he cut the miserable Noprikar in two.

“Sorry, your majesty. The mission is too important for this ones bungling.” Gemin’s tone was almost impish.

The Emperor frowned as he responded, “Your impudence will be dealt with upon your return. The Force was strong with him. He was to be your apprentice.”

“He failed his initiation.”

“We cannot afford to lose anymore Force users. My plans demand it.”

“I promise not to kill the next one I meet.” He bowed his head in mock reverence.

“That will not fix the damage you have caused to our relationship with the Noprikars.”

Gemin turned to the remaining creatures, “Shall I begin mending them now?” The pair shook their heads and brought their hands up in defence. Glaring at them with malevolent intent he continued, “Are the Noprikar loyal to the Empire. I suspect not. I suppose will have to make a visit to your system after my mission is complete.” 

He could sense terror radiating from the officials. One waved his hands in defence as he franticly spoke, “That’s not being necessary my Lords. We be steadfast supporter of the Emperors.”

“We shall see,” he replied grimly. Gemin returned his lightsaber to his waist. Before departing he looked to the Emperor adding, “If that is all,” and strode towards the nearest ramp. Palpatine continued to scowl at him until he entered the shuttle and disappeared. That ought to quell dissension, he thought with a smirk. Though he was worried about punishment he knew the Emperor care more about results than how they were achieved. 

Chapter 12:

Tatooine System:

Darth Gemin surveyed the battle hologram. The Republic fleet was divided into a handful of groups spread out over the system. His own fleet would be hard pressed to defeat them. They were outnumbered but not insurmountably so. If they managed to destroy some of the enemy cruisers before they joined up his fleet stood a good chance winning. The biggest problem was taking out the Juggernauts. Gemin was relieved to find the reconnaissance data was correct. There were only three, one of which was in the nearest cluster of enemy ships. It was time to test out their new weapon. He signalled his fleet’s commanding officer to commence the operation. The opposing cruisers became entangled in a fierce battle. 

The Juggernaut pulled out of the nearest cluster of Republic ships. It was poised to attack but a Buster was heading straight for it. The long tube-like ship hurtled towards it at like a battering ram. The Juggernaut’s cannons lit up as they started to fire towards the incoming vessel. Bursts of concentrated laser fire shot out from the Buster before it rapidly accelerated straight at the Juggernaut. To Gemin it seemed to play out in slow motion. A giant explosion erupted from the Juggernaut before shrapnel shot out behind it. The whole battle scene seemed to pulse on the impact. Several nearby ships were caught in the destructive wake. To his surprise the Buster proceeded through the wreckage mostly unscathed. Darth Gemin smiled at the success. The hunt had begun.

\-------------------------------------------------------------//-------------------------------------------------------------

The Imperial fleet was bolstered by their success against the Juggernauts. None remained and to top it off they had managed to even out the numbers in the space battle. Gemin had sent the surviving three Busters back to Mistrabo along with a small escort. After carrying out the successful operation he decided to join the aerial fight in his own fighter. There was a pesky Republic pilot wreaking havoc on his fleet that he planned to deal with personally. He was itching for a fight after being holed away on Mistrabo for months. Any action was better than standing around on the bridge. He did not know when his next opportunity for battle would arise so he was quick to jump on this chance. There was no one aboard who would dare to argue against him.

Before leaving the bridge of his Star Destroyer he turned to the recently promoted Captain Keldor, “I’m leaving you in charge Captain. See that you don’t disappoint me.”

“Yes lord Gemin,” Keldor spoke with a small tremor in his voice. 

Darth Gemin stood ominously a moment longer before striding out of the room with his cape billowing behind him. As the door to the bridge shut Captain Keldor finally remembered to breathe. Recovering his composure he assumed command of the bridge and began giving orders to the fleet. He could tell the battle was far from over.

Chapter 13:

As they fought it became clear that the Republic pilot was more skillful than Gemin. After initially surprising his foe the tables were quickly turned on him. He was occasionally able to regain the upper hand but it never lasted long. As they raced through the sky above Tatooine Gemin could sense it. The force is strong with this one. He recognized almost at once that this was his foe from Loslier. Something else about their presence seemed familiar. Were they a guest from the peace talks, he pondered. The Emperor had forbid his presence at the festivities. He had taken great pains to hide his strength in the Force when the guests arrived. It was always an uncomfortable feeling to be shut off from the Force. After years of constant use it was as if he had lost a close friend on those occasions. Worse still he was unable to determine who could use the Force when he shut himself off from it. Occasionally he had sensed the concentration of the Force but it was vague and unfocused. He should have known they were strong with it as he had felt their presence in spite of how he had distanced himself. Now they were here and more powerful than ever before. Gemin pushed those thoughts aside as only their skill truly mattered. In this fight he was unsure if he could win let alone keep his promise to his master.

The rest of the fighters had learnt to keep their distance from the pair as interference was dealt with swiftly. None of the other pilots could keep up with the two Force users. It was almost unfair when they were incidentally dragged into the action. Gemin had tried to use his own squadrons as a distraction to no avail. His rival destroyed them before he could gain any advantage. He needed to regroup and come up with a plan. First he had to disengage from his foe that dogged his every move.

Gemin made his way back to his Star Destroyer deking and dodging his way through the battlefield. The Republic pilot followed close behind hardly losing a step from all the maneuvering. The movements of their X-wings would have looked synchronised to an outside observer. His all black ship was a perfect counterpoint to her nearly white one. As they drew near the battle cruiser his pursuer broke off the chase knowing they were hopelessly outgunned. Gemin idled by the behemoth as he planned his next move. While he did so the familiarity of the Force user gnawed at him. Desperately he desired to know their identity. There was an inescapable feeling of being drawn to them as if some unseen power was pulling him towards his enemy. He needed to be closer. Closer? That’s it! Gemin became almost giddy with excitement as a plan formed in his mind. He knew it was crazy but also a certainty that it would work. Gemin had no doubts that it was the will of the Force guiding him now.

Quickly he spoke to his R3 unit, “Hey Arty, You’re going to have to make your own way back to the Star Destroyer.” It beeped frantically at him. He was able to pick out a few words in what could only be a litany of curses. Trying to soothe the droid he added, “Don’t worry buddy. I’ll drop you off nice and close. And besides, with what I’m about to do you don’t want to be on this ship.” It still continued to chunter angrily but was noticeably calmer. It’ll have to do, he thought.

He quickly sent a message to the Star Destroyer’s bridge, “I’m dropping off my droid. Try not to shoot at it, okay?”

The captain was quick to respond, “Message received. The droid will be well looked after in your absence.”

Getting close to the hangar of the Star Destroyer he instructed the astromech, “Ok Arty. Get ready now.” It beeped a friendlier acknowledgement this time. Quickly he rolled the ship so that the top of the droid was pointed towards the Star Destroyer. When his X-wing was aligned with the hangar he jettisoned the astromech. It let out a scream that sounded more excited than fearful. Watching over his shoulder through the canopy of his cockpit he saw Arty make his way safely to the Star Destroyer.

\-------------------------------------------------------------//-------------------------------------------------------------

Gemin ordered several Imperial Tie-Fighters to drive the enemy ship towards the surface of Tatooine. They did not need to engage with the ship for long. The enemy only had to be distracted until he arrived. As the squadron pursued the white X-wing Gemin plotted an intercept course. He flew close to the planet, far lower than his mysterious enemy. Watching the sky above, he waited until the squadron drove his foe towards him. He accelerated upwards full throttle in an intercept course. The Republic fighter noticed too late but she began evasive maneuvers anyways. The wings of their ships collided and were torn off. They began descending towards the planet in a dizzying freefall. There was a narrow window to eject as the broken ships spun. Finding a safe moment he launched himself from his ruined fighter into the hot dry air of the desert planet. An instant later his counterpart did the same.

As they fell he was almost overwhelmed by a sense of familiarity about her. She had grown stronger in the Force since their last encounter. She might prove yet to be a worthy rival, Gemin thought with a great deal of contentment. He wanted to learn more about her bet hesitated to prolong their fight.

They floated only a small distance apart. Gemin pushed at the air behind with the Force. As he closed the gap he ignited his red lightsaber. Swinging with all his might he struck at his foe. Her blue lightsaber came up to meet his with a thunderous clash. 

Several exchanges later Gemin spoke up, “Who are you? You seem somehow… Familiar.” With no response save for a slash towards his body that he had to parry he continued on, “I see you’ve grown stronger since our last meeting. Your master must be teaching you well.”

He was surprised when an electronic voice responded, “I have no master.” It came across tinny and masculine though that was likely a product of the modulator.

Somewhat sarcastically he said, “I’m looking for an apprentice if you’re interested.” The blade of her lightsaber shot towards his throat. Easily blocking it he muttered, “I guess not.” Putting aside conversation they exchanged a flurry of blows.

Neither one could find an opening in the other’s defense as they hacked and slashed at one another amidst the falling wreckage. Gemin used the Force to pull a small piece of debris to him before sending it hurtling towards his foe. She awkwardly repelled the object but it left a brief opening that Darth Gemin used to his advantage. Stabbing towards his foes torso forced her to counter it with an awkward and desperate flailing motion. With her weapon out of the way he quickly slashed at their neck trying to end the fight then and there. His lightsaber made contact with something as a hiss of air escaped from the Force user’s helmet. The white clad enemy clutched at the mouth piece of the helmet as she spun helplessly. Her hands quickly probed around the sides of the helmet. Sensing that he had missed the mark Gemin attempted to rectify the situation by slashing at his opponents now exposed back. There appeared to be a square of cloth padding covering most of her back and it was this padding that his blade cut through. Realising he was too far away for the kill he prepared to push himself closer.

In the same instance his opponent removed the ruined helmet partially revealing her face’s feminine features. Long brown hair flowed outwards and upwards in a single braid as she turned to face him once more. Just as her identity was about to be revealed the helmet began hurtling towards Gemin. He barely reacted in time to keep it from smashing into his face. His left arm took the brunt of the impact deflecting it up and over his head. In that moment he finally glimpsed his attacker. He was shocked to discover that it was Senator Serenaba. Though his presence was not permitted at the peace talks he had spent a great amount of time observing the attendees. Back then he had sensed her strength in the Force but it had been fleeting. Here it was much stronger. She must have masked her presence. Impressive for someone with no master to learn from. To Gemin it was as if a curtain had been lifted the moment he saw her face. He could not tell if her presence here was all in his head or if she was truly revealing her identity. Regardless he decided to disengage from the fight and put away his lightsaber. He mused that the Emperor would not be thrilled if he assassinated a Republic senator. On top of that he had his own motives for keeping her alive. Glancing around he cleared away some of the nearby falling debris with a gentle Force push.

When Gemin piloted his X-wing into combat he usually wore an accompanying vest that contained a breathing apparatus which then plugged into his helmet. On top of that the vest also contained a retractable parachute. The back of it was a little bulky but it did little to encumber him. He gently pushed the senator away from him with the Force as he groped around at his side for the pull cord. There was an expression of outrage on Senator Serenaba’s face that Gemin briefly saw before he was pulled upward by his expanding parachute.

Looking down he watched as Serenaba reached for something at her side. Suddenly material burst forth from her back before ripping into tatters. A few remnants of fabric remained attached to the strings streaming from her back. Her head craned to see what was wrong. Gemin sensed panic from her before she turned to calm acceptance. That was something he doubted he could do in a similar situation.

Pressing a button on his vest he waited for his parachute to retract. After attaining freefall once more he rushed to get close to the senator. She had plummeted a fair distance below him and he was not sure he could catch up. Mustering every trick he could think of he pushed himself downwards with the Force while also attempting to slow her descent. Much to his relief the gap between them closed rapidly. He drew ever closer. In a moment he would be in arms reach. It was then that he noticed the strings were gone. At least they won’t get in the way. He stretched out his arm but she was still too far away. Gemin avoided looking down at a ground that was speeding towards them. There was still time but it was going to be close. Using one large push of the force he propelled himself towards her. They collided in midair. Using one arm he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her close. She struggled and pushed at him but he held on tightly. Quickly using his free hand he fumbled for the pull cord once more. In an instant their descent was slowed by the unfurling of the parachute. 

Gemin breathed a sigh of relief while the senator stopped resisting and instead held onto him tightly. A mirthful thought struck Gemin, I did want to get closer after all. His amusement was cut short when he noticed they were still falling too fast. His parachute was not meant for two people. He contemplated using the Force on the parachute but was unsure it could sustain the added strain. Instead he chose to push at the air below. Their descent gradually slowed as the ground closed in. While they continued to fall he tried to gauge if it was going to be enough. He decided it was survivable but they were in for a rough landing. 

Shortly before impact he spoke into her ear, “brace yourself. It’s not going to be gentle.”

She only nodded her head. That was good enough in Gemin’s eyes. He watched the approaching ground. There were vast dunes all about as well as a rocky expanse nearby. What was left of their X-wings was strewn about but not where they were likely to land. A shallow dune was almost directly under them and Gemin tried to maintain that position. He tensed up as his feet neared the ground. 

They crashed into the dune with a thump. The impact sent Senator Serenaba flying out of his arms and down the side. The pair bounced along the ground a few times before coming to a stop. Neither one moved for a few seconds. Eventually they struggled to their feet though both of them were rather unsteady.

The senator seemed to recover faster as she quipped, “That wasn’t the happiest of landings.”

Her hand hovered over her lightsaber for a moment as she prepared to charge at Darth Gemin. It was in that moment that a blast of hot air swept through the sandy dunes. Gemin’s parachute was suddenly filled by it. The wind pulled him and his parachute along the dunes. Then he took flight once more. He soared high into the sky before he could react. The parachute had pulled him over the boundary of sand and rock. Without noticing his predicament he reached for his lightsaber. A flash of his lightsaber and he cut all the cords. Some of the severed strings briefly caught on his legs. When they grew taut they jerked on his legs causing him to spin head over heels. Gemin plummeted towards the rocks below as the sky and ground constantly switched places. It was only in the middle of all this that he finally noticed his peril. Too late to react he crashed into the ground. Most of his body hit sand but his head slammed into a rocky outcrop. The front of his visor shattered on impact exposing the right side of his face. He let out a yell of pain as he bounced off the dune that abutted the rock ridge. Gemin tumbled head over heels down the side of the dune before coming to a stop around the halfway mark. He staggered back to his feet but was terribly unsteady. His first step forward sent him stumbling sideways. Gemin attempted to right himself with little success. After finally regaining his balance he visibly stiffened before collapsing face first into the sand. His limp body slid down the dune a few more feet before coming to a halt.

Chapter 14:

Dreya watched in shock as Darth Gemin was pulled up into the sky by his parachute. Up he flew until a burst of red shot out from his hand. His descent was even more abrupt than his takeoff. Down he fell still looking back at his detached parachute. A moment later he was spinning out of control. To her dismay he was heading straight for a rocky ledge. Her thoughts on Darth Gemin were now conflicted. She hated him as her mortal enemy but he had saved her life. Of course, it’s his fault I was in danger to begin with. Dreya watched as Gemin hit the rocky ledge with a sickening thud accompanied by the sound of something breaking.

She ran over to see if he was alright. Her own steps were unsteady from her recent fall coupled with the slipperiness of the sand as it gave way underfoot. As she approached she saw Gemin get to his feet. Her hand moved involuntarily to her lightsaber. A moment later she watched helplessly as the Sith Lord collapsed in a heap before sliding partway down the dune. Quickening her pace she raced over to him. Stopping short she brandished her lightsaber in case it was a trick. She pointed the tip towards his neck illuminating the cracks toward the front of the helmet. Cautiously she nudged his shoulder with her boot. After determining he was indeed unconscious she returned her lightsaber to her left hip.

“It won’t do for him to suffocate in the sand,” the Senator said to no one in particular. 

Grabbing hold of his shoulders she proceeded to flip him over. Sand poured out of the front of his helmet as well as some blood. Dreya peered into the holes in the visor but his face was obscured by all the blood. How much blood has he lost? She noticed a red streak in the sand stretching from where he had fallen over all the way to where it had come to a halt. Worriedly she set about removing his helmet. She gently pulled at it but it refused to budge. Exasperated she fumbled around the base of the helmet for some sort of release mechanism. A moment later she found it at the back of the neck and a faint click could be heard as she flipped the small switch. Instantly the helmet shifted position as it became free of the suit. Dreya carefully slid the helmet off of Gemin’s head and placed its remains in the sand at her side.

Next she carefully studied her attacker’s face. Blood had streaked down his face in overlapping triangles that pointed to his chin. Most of the stand had fallen away with the removal of the helmet but some was glued to the drying blood in reddish brown clumps. His injuries looked minor save for a modest cut in his hairline. Dreya chuckled at her own relief that her enemy was not fatally wounded. Really, I should just kill him now and be done with it, she thought half-heartedly. Dreya knew she had been taught better than that so instead she planned to take Gemin prisoner. If that had not been reason enough there was also something familiar about his face though the blood and other debris obscured it too much to tell why.

“Let’s get you cleaned up then, shall we?” Dreya spoke her mind yet again.

She thought for a moment before coming up with a plan. She pulled at her parachute’s harness straps. A pair of them ran around her torso seamlessly blending in with her outfit. The upper strap had another set branch upwards and over her shoulders. All of them connected to the solid plate on her back that normally housed the parachute. She traced her hands over the straps until she located a release mechanism. The material seemed to snap away from her body before the falling to the ground. It was then that she saw the large gash across the parachute’s housing. Dreya shivered at how close the blow had landed before tearing at the damaged fabric. What little remained of the parachute spilled out. It was mostly strings but a sizeable piece a cloth was still intact. Grabbing this she tore it free from the string it was attached to. She reached at her right hip and found a small flask of water held in her belt. After opening it up she took a sip before pouring some of the water on the fabric. It’s not the best material but it will have to do. She hunched down over Gemin and began to wipe away the blood with the sopping remains of the parachute.

The senator tried to be gentle as she scrubbed at the unconscious man’s face. Slowly she revealed his face. About halfway through her task she recognized who she had been fighting. Dropping the wet rag she stumbled back from him in horror.

“It can’t be,” Dreya pleaded. “How could you?” She yelled before leaning in and shouting even louder, “How could you?” 

Dreya sat in the sand shaking. Emotions flitted about in her head. Anger threatened to bubble over before it fell into despair only to be replaced with excitement before returning to unbridled rage. In the end her hate won out and she rose to her feet steadily. Grabbing her lightsaber she raised it into the air well above Darth Gemin’s head. The blue blade was begging to be unleashed as it quivered in her hands.

“I’ll kill you, Moff Klugl,” She bellowed and swung her lightsaber towards his neck.

A blue blur raced towards his throat with murderous intent. Right before landing the killing blow it was suddenly halted. The light went out and Dreya collapsed to her knees. Tears poured down her cheeks as she stared at the young Moff’s face. All her hurt and anger boiled over as it escaped in one pained scream that echoed across the dunes.

“WHY?”

\-------------------------------------------------------------//-------------------------------------------------------------

Dreya hunched over Darth Gemin with her head on his chest. She laid there for several minutes occasionally interrupting the stillness of the desert by weakly hitting his shoulder with the side of her fist. She was torn about what to do with the now revealed Moff. After half-heartedly considering the idea of killing him for his deceit she settled on captivity as still the best option. Picking herself back up she searched for the rag she had dropped earlier. Spotting it near Gemin’s feat she leaned over and scooped it up. Much to her relief the two suns had done little to dry it. She could ill afford to waste water. With damp cloth in hand she returned to cleaning off the Moff’s face. While she set about that task she thought aloud, “Now, how to go about tying him up?” If she recalled correctly there was a pair of binders in her ship. Scanning her surroundings quickly revealed the locations of the two wrecked fighters. Standing up she began striding towards what was left of her ship.

She paused briefly and looked back at the body of Moff Klugl. Raising a hand she used the Force to pull both his lightsabers to her while saying, “Best not to leave these with you.” Dreya continued the trek to her ship as she tucked them away in her belt opposite her own weapon.

Reaching the smoldering wreckage she searched for the best way to get into the cockpit. The X-wing had crashed on its wingless side but was otherwise mostly intact. The canopy had ripped clean off sometime after she ejected but part of the frame had bent inward on impact obstructing the entrance. Carefully she tested the structure with the Force. The frame quivered but held. Seeing that it was sturdy enough she pressed harder and cleared the metal out of the way. With the entrance now open she crawled into the ship and searched for the binders.

While there she also looked for survival gear but most had been destroyed or rendered unusable in the crash. A few items were missing but she did not hold much hope of finding them in the desert sands. Fortunately for Dreya she was able to salvage some emergency rations in an emergency travel pack. She also found some more water canteens and placed them in the bag. Dreya frowned at her haul as it would not last long especially if she had to share them with her hostage. Slinging the pack over her shoulder she slid her way backwards out of the ship.

Dreya returned to the Moff and found him exactly as she left him. She quickly pulled his hands together and placed the binders on them. It was not a moment too soon as he began to stir almost the instant she had finished restraining him. It took several more seconds before his eyes started to open. Dreya took this time to back away a step. Moff Klugl reached up to his head with his right hand only to find the left one came with it. Not yet awake enough to understand he ignored the oddity and used both hands to rub at his head. He let out a grunt of pain as he pressed too close to the gash by his hairline. His hands paused before moving directly into his line of sight. Dreya watched as he stared at the binders before dropping his hands. She half expected him to attack but all he did was turn his head towards her and smile.

“Good morning Senator,” he spoke cordially.

“Don’t you good morning me Moff Klugl,” She huffed.

“I guess the Nexu is out of the bag then,” he replied resignedly. “So what happens next?”

“The way I see it you are my prisoner.”

“Really? I couldn’t tell.” Gemin showcased his bound hands while he spoke.

Dreya was unable to hide her irritation as she briefly frowned impetuously at him. “The first thing we need to do is find a transmitter to contact my fleet. I believe I saw a settlement in that direction while we were falling,” she gestured in the opposite direction of the nearby rocks.

“I’m not all that keen on the first part of your plan but we won’t last long sitting around here. We should gather whatever provisions survived and start heading to that settlement.” Gemin began to stand up as he spoke. In a flash Dreya had a lightsaber placed close to his throat. “You’re quite the jumpy one aren’t you?” he quipped with an impish grin on his face.

Putting away her weapon she chuckled before replying, “I’ve already salvaged what I could from my ship. Was there anything useful in yours?”

“Just some emergency rations. Oh, and a small tent that’s resistant to rough environs. Hopefully it survived the crash.”

“I don’t think we’ll need it. The settlement isn’t that far away.”

“Neither is that sand storm,” Gemin held his arms out towards the horizon.

Puzzled Dreya responded, “There’s nothing there.”

“First time in the desert?”

“Let’s not waste time arguing.”

“Agreed. Now where did my ship land?”

“I believe it crashed,” she emphasised the distinction, “somewhere over there.” Their back and forth exchanges reminded her of the time they had spent together on Mistrabo. So little had changed and yet she felt a great rift had opened between them. Despite all that she took comfort in the familiar way they conversed. Though Darth Gemin was her hated enemy she still desired to be close to the Moff.

Without another word they headed in the direction she had indicated. The silence seemed a cruel replacement for their previous banter. This only made her fell more forlorn as they trudged through the empty desert. Moff Klugl moved slowly as it was difficult for him to maintain his balance with his hands shackled. He muttered something about how much easier it would be if he could use his arms. Dreya ignored him. The pair saw a plume of smoke coming from behind a dune. Once they crested it they saw that the smoke originated from Darth Gemin’s ship. It had impacted nearly upside down. The nose was buried in the sand with the cockpit barely accessible from underneath. 

“I’ll leave looting the ship to you,” Dreya spoke with a twisted smile. She wanted to vent some of her frustration on Klugl and decided this was a good starting point. She would have her revenge no matter how petty it seemed.

“How am I supposed to crawl inside like this?” Gemin waved his bound hands around.

“I’m sure you’ll figure out a way,” she chided. “Maybe a Sith Lord will help you.”

Gemin turned towards his ship grumbling, “She’s never going to let this go.”

“I heard that.”

The Moff halted midstride before continuing on at a brisker pace. Dreya watched as he fell to his knees by the ships entrance. Placing his hands on the ground he leaned onto them before shimmying his way inside. She listened to the sounds of him searching throughout the cockpit. Eventually a pack similar to the one she carried tumbled out of the gap. A moment later some rolled up material protruded outwards followed by Moff Klugl. She watched with some amusement as he attempted to pick up both objects with little success. Eventually he put the strap of the bag in his mouth and grabbed the rolled up cloth. Dreya felt a little bit sorry for him but she was not yet ready to relent. He returned to her and dropped the bag and roll.

“What took you so long? It shouldn’t have been that difficult to find the provisions.”

“I was testing the ships transmitter. Totally fried though. Did you check yours earlier?”

“Were you planning on betraying me?”

“No, I just wanted to skip a long walk in the hot desert sun if I could avoid it.” He thought for a moment, “Suns. Two of them.”

She eyed him suspiciously before responding, “Very well. Let’s get going.”

Dreya was treated to another humorous display of Gemin attempting to pick up the pack and rolled cloth. She warned him to hurry up or she would leave him behind which only made his movements more frantic though no more productive. Reluctantly she decided that this was wasting too much time and picked up the pack and slung it over Klugl’s neck with part of the strap braced on his shoulder. After that she picked up the roll and handed it to him.

The pair made their way towards the settlement but progress was even slower going than before. The added gear in Gemin’s hands made him step methodically to keep from toppling over. Dreya became frustrated with his slow movements and eventually broke their long silence, “You move too slowly.”

“It’s not easy encumbered like this,” he proffered the roll of cloth to her before jutting a shoulder up to keep the strap of the pack from slipping off.

“We’ll never make it at this rate.” She glared at him. It’s all his fault. Why did it have to be him? Her heart was torn. As she thought of what to do next her mind kept running in circles. She was angry at hit. He had hurt her more dearly than she cared to admit yet she still held strong feelings for him. In the end she knew she would forgive him for this but she still kept her guard up. Hesitantly she asked, “Can I trust you?”

“If we are going to survive out here we’re going to have to trust each other. I won’t hurt you Dreya.” There was an earnest look in his eyes that convinced the senator of his sincerity.

“Okay then,” she said as she closed the distance between them. Giving Klugl one last wary look she reached for his binders. They stared into each other’s eyes for a long moment before she finally removed them. She stepped back as he massaged his newly freed wrists.

“Thank you,” Klugl spoke as he rearranged his pack. “My name’s Rufus by the way. Rufus Suntracer.” During his introductions he reached up to his neck and his fingers fumbled around there. Barely a moment has passed before the material around his neck dropped away followed swiftly by what was left of his shoulder pads.

“I don’t care.”

“I thought you should know seeing as how we’ll be working together for the next little while.”

“Let’s get one thing straight. I’m in charge here and you are still my prisoner. And don’t you dare forget that I’m still mad that you’re here… Rufus,” she tentatively tried his name. Turning away she added under her breath, “And a little excited.” 

Rufus decided not to press his luck and left it at that. The two of them began their journey towards the settlement in silence disturbed only by the rustling sounds of shifting sands. Occasionally they paused to have some water and they engaged in minimal amounts of stilted conversation. Other than that the first half of their trek through the desert was completely monotonous.

Chapter 15:

When they were a ways past what Rufus considered the halfway point he stopped walking. Dreya continued on a few paces before noticing. By the time she did Rufus had dropped the roll of cloth onto a flat bed of sand and had half unrolled it.

“What are you doing?” Dreya asked sharply.

Not looking up from his task Rufus responded, “A storms coming. I’ve got to get this setup before it buries us.”

“What storm? Its clear skies as far as the eye can see.”

“That one,” Rufus replied and pointed in the direction they were heading.

Dreya peered into the distance straining to see what he was talking about. It might have been her imagination but the sky did seem a little hazier than before. She was about to admonish the Moff when the air became very still. A sense of foreboding came over her and instead she asked, “Is there anything I can do to help?”

Rufus opened his mouth to speak but a sudden strong gust of wind silenced him. After waiting a few seconds for it to die down he answered, “No, it’s almost ready. And not a moment too soon.” The cloth was completely unrolled now. Looking down at the material he gestured at it and it inflated into a small tent. Normally it was only meant for one occupant but he was fairly certain they would both fit if a little cramped.

Dreya was a little astonished at the ease in which he used the Force. Her awe was quickly forgotten as the wind returned with greater intensity. Sand began to fly around and brush across her face. Rufus opened the tent and crawled inside. When only his legs were still visible he called out to her, “Are you coming? Hurry up, the sands getting in.”

She resignedly followed him into the tent with a scowl. It was a tight squeeze but she managed to worm her way inside. When she had cleared the entrance a rush of sand blew past her in the opposite direction. Moments later she heard the sound of the entrance sealing itself behind her. Rufus was lying on his back with a self-satisfied grin on his face.

Glaring at him she snapped, “You can wipe that smug look off your face. I’m not going to forgive you just because you were right this time.” She turned her back to him and could hear him rolling over as well. His hand came up to her arm and she smacked it away. “Back to back mister.”

Without a word he rolled the other way. The pair laid there in the stillness of the tent for some time. Meanwhile the storm raged on outside. Dreya became worried they would be buried alive in there. She was not about to let Rufus Suntracer know that though.

\-------------------------------------------------------------//-------------------------------------------------------------

Rufus laid there in oppressive silence. The longer it went on the more impatient he grew. Time and again he thought of breaking the silence but the words were lost before they reached his tongue. It was torture to be so close to her and yet be so far away. Their close proximity and the unending howls of the storm outside only fueled his agitation. His mind was frantic searching for some way to escape the overbearing tension. Before he could do so Dreya beat him to it.

“How did you know the storm was coming? I couldn’t spot any signs.”

“This isn’t my first time marooned on a desert planet,” Rufus responded. “A few years back I had to rescue some foolish politician… Uh, no offense.” When she did not interject he went on, “Anyways he had crash landed on a desert planet much like this one. I made a similar mistake of not seeing the oncoming storm. If I hadn’t used the Force we would have been buried alive before we got our tents set up. Three storms we had to deal with. By the time the last one hit us I was a lot better at seeing the telltale signs.”

“Yet we were almost caught by this one.”

“I didn’t know they could move that fast. I thought we had more time.”

“Well, you’ll just have to do better next time.” Dreya rolled onto her back. She turned her head towards Rufus and smiled mischievously at him. It was all for nought at he was still turned away from her. A brief awkward silence fell over them. They both attempted to break it at the same time stumbling over each other’s words.

“Sorry. You go ahead,” Rufus managed to get out.

“O-Okay,” Dreya hesitated, “I have to know. How can you justify killing all those Jedi?”

Rufus turned to face her with a defiant look in his eye. “What puts them above all the people they’ve killed? They chose a side and I chose mine. I fight for what I believe in. If they want to play judge and executioner for the Republic than why shouldn’t I resist them with everything I’ve got?” After a brief pause to collect his thoughts he continued more reservedly, “Are you any different? You attacked me without hesitation. If you had killed me would that make you evil? Would I have added to my list of crimes if I had killed you? Both sides have blood on their hands.”

“But how much was necessary?”

“We are fighting a war in case you’d forgotten. Symbols of strength are always a target. It’s not a matter of who is good and who is evil. No, all that matters is victory for those that agree with you.”

“I fight for what is right!”

“So do I!”

“But you fight for the Empire. Surely you can see how evil they are. How they take away peoples’ freedom and the devastation they have caused the galaxy!”

“Devastation? Like your Captain En slaughtering innocent civilians on my home world of Gelvin IV. Or those Juggernauts that rain destruction down upon unsuspecting planets. Such benevolence. Tell me senator, how free do you really feel?”

Dreya had been shaken by his words. “I-I’m sorry… For you home. I didn’t realize… I…” she trailed off. “It doesn’t matter. I can’t change what’s happened to you. All I can do is work towards building a better future. I think peace and reconciliation are the best way forwards.”

“Peace? Look around you Dreya,” Rufus became aware of their confines, “Okay, not the best way to start that, but think about the battle today. I can’t imagine anyone there striving for peace.”

“But the talks have been going so well,” Dreya pleaded, “I’m sure they will fall in line once a truce has been established.”

“Open your eyes! The only reason the meetings lasted this long is because of your tactical advantage. With the Juggernauts effectively neutralized the Emperor has little interest in maintaining the negotiations. My presence here is proof of that.”

“We are still strong. You’re Emperor can’t be that arrogant to think he can walk all over the Republic just because a few ships have been rendered less effective. They still have me.”

“You? Some half trained Jedi isn’t going to win a war. Maybe with proper training. Yes, with my help you could turn the tide. I could train you. Teach you how to use the Force to your full potential. You barely scrape the surface of what you could accomplish. Join me and we could even overthrow the Emperor and bring an end to all this bloodshed.” There was an unsettling zealous look in Gemin’s eyes for a brief moment before normality returned.

Dreya could feel a desire to agree to this but she quickly stifled it. The temptation was strong but there was something alarming in the way that he spoke that made his offer untenable. She set her mind to thinking up a rejection that would prevent further arguments. She worried her treasonous heart would be too easily persuaded where he was concerned. Her racing thoughts finally produced a response, “You know that is something I cannot do. Too many would see it as a betrayal. I would see it that way too. I couldn’t live with myself if I gave in like that.”

“Sorry my lady. I wasn’t thinking. I would never want you to feel that way.” Dreya should have been seriously wounded if Rufus’s concerned expression was anything to go by.

“I know,” she spoke and placed a reassuring hand on his arm.

“I was so focused on your safety that I didn’t even consider anything else,” Rufus’ voice was despondent. “You really do need training though. For starters your technique with the lightsaber is rudimentary.”

“I seem to recall giving you more than you can handle with these rudimentary techniques,” Dreya chided while displaying a pretense of being incensed.

“Fair enough. Your mastery of the basics has proved quite effective. It’s your knowledge and use of the Force that concerns me most. You seem to almost forget that it’s there. Surely your master has taught you better than that.”

“My master… She died. A long time ago,” she answered forlornly.

“I’m sorry.” Rufus thought for a moment before asking worriedly, “It wasn’t me was it? Who killed her, that is.”

“No.” She could see the relief plain as day on his face. “She was killed in a stupid accident. A small ship crashed into her shuttle on the way to a meeting with the chancellor. There were no survivors.”

Rufus noticed the defiant tone in her voice as if she refused to believe her master was dead. Or maybe she doesn’t think it was an accident. Saving that mystery for another time he tried a different tact instead, “Perhaps I can convince the Emperor to continue the peace talks. Then we could meet in private. To refine your lightsaber technique and Force usage and,” he stammered the last bit before trailing off in an almost pleading manner.

“Private meetings? Because that won’t make anyone suspicious.” Coyly she added, “It’s making me suspicious just thinking about it.” In a more serious tone she continued, “No. For now training together is not an option. Maybe in a more peaceful time. Putting that aside we should rest and gather our strength for what’s left of the journey.” She turned away from him in case her face betrayed her emotions. She wanted nothing more than to attend these so-called private meetings.

“As you wish,” Rufus spoke as he rolled away from her.

“Where are you going?”

“You demanded back to back. Don’t you remember?”

“I’ve change my mind. It will be less cramped if we face the same direction.”

“If you say so,” his voice sounded incredulous yet he complied. His arm wrapped around her waist as he cozied up next to her. She grabbed a hold of his arm and pulled it tightly around her. Being pressed so close the scent of her perfume became intoxicating. His mind raced as a flurry of emotions washed over him. For so long he had believed he was above such things. Since his childhood he had thought attachment was utterly lost to him. Lying next to her he could feel a sense of protectiveness for her. She was important to him and he desperately wanted to keep her safe. For an instant Rufus strongly considered leaving the Empire for her. With his mind racing he gave up any hope of getting rest. While the sand storm continued overhead a different kind of storm raged on in his head.

\-------------------------------------------------------------//-------------------------------------------------------------

Dreya had told the Moff that they should get rest but she knew that she was unlikely to find any herself. Being pressed so tightly together brought back memories of the time they had spent on Mistrabo. All the dining, all the talking, and most importantly all the dancing where they had held each other so close. They had even escaped to hidden corners where they could be a little more intimate. Those happy emotions gnawed away at her and she was overeager to give in to them. Through this trial she was held back by all her worries and fears. Her affection for the Moff waged a war of its own with her contempt for the Sith Lord. Reconciling the two seemed an insurmountable task. She wanted to fall into his arms. She wanted to push him away. Her heart quaked with desire and anger. Anger is not the Jedi way, she reminded herself. Fixing that thought firmly in her mind she strove for inner peace. The chaos within made it difficult to find serenity so it came as a great relief to her when the storm finally lifted.

Chapter 16:

Dreya and Rufus continued their journey to the settlement without further incident and little in the way if meaningful conversation. Each of them spent the trip contemplating their own thoughts of what they had discussed in the tent. Though greatly conflicted in how they felt the air of hostility seemed to have vanished for the time being. There was one brief exchange along the way when Dreya’s curiosity got the better of her. Out of nowhere she asked the Moff, “What’s with the helmet?”

Rufus stumbled briefly before recovering. Taking a moment to decide the best way to phrase it he drew in a deep breath and said, “Darth Gemin and Moff Klugl are two very different entities. The officers respect Moff Klugl and the chain of command he represents. To them order is everything and a wild card like Gemin threatens to throw it all out of balance. Conversely The Sith Lord is known throughout the galaxy as a vicious killer. His purpose is fear and subjugation. Few would be willing to negotiate with such a vile monster. Both serve a purpose in the Empire but one cannot exist in the other’s presence. To create a distinction it was necessary to hide my face for one of these personas. The logical choice was to hide Darth Gemin’s as people like to see the face of those they do dealings with.” A moment later he summarised, “Two looks, two mindsets, two people. The perfect deception.”

“Yet neither one is you, Rufus!” She felt a twinge of irritation at herself when she noticed she was starting to like the sound of his real name.

“No, I suppose that’s true. Like two warring factions fighting for supremacy. While neither is really me both are a part of me.”

“And it seems the lines between them are beginning to blur.”

“Maybe just a little. Perhaps it has always been so and I just couldn’t see it.”

“Or something’s brought about a change in you. Like some sense was knocked into you recently,” She said while laughing at her own jest.

Chuckling along with her he added, “Well the most recent addition has made it difficult to hide their similarities.” He traced his fingers over his injuries to emphasise his words. 

“It would be difficult to keep up the act without your mask. I suppose you’ll be wanting me to keep this all a secret then.”

“I’d be very appreciative of it. Revealing my identity would be… problematic. Especially for future peace talks.”

“Well, we wouldn’t want to disrupt those.” Her tone was slightly snarky and briefly stifled further conversation. 

After walking a few paces Rufus turned to her and said, “Hold on a second. Why am I the only one facing scrutiny for wearing a helmet? You’ve clearly been hiding your face under one too. Why is that?”

Dreya frowned at him. She answered his question in an unexpected outburst, “I hid my face to protect myself from you!” An awkward silence clung to the air before she tried to explain herself. “What I mean is if Darth Gemin knew who I was it would put Senator Serenaba’s life at risk. My work in the senate is too important to be hampered by constant fears of assassination by a Sith Lord.” 

Rufus shrugged before saying, “I’m sorry I made you feel that way. I… Darth Gemin won’t be hunting down any senators. You have my word.”

“Your word? Do I even know you?”

“That’s hardly fair. But I stand by what I said. When you are fulfilling your duties as a senator I will bring no harm to you. In those times I will do everything in my power to keep you safe because I…” Rufus trailed off before a flurry of words escaped him “Because you are important to peace in the galaxy.” He wanted to smack himself upside the head. His mind screamed, Because I love you!

Tersely Dreya responded, “Yes. Peace talks are clearly the only thing that matters.” 

“Dreya I-”

“Let’s just get off this barren heap.” With nothing left to say the pair walked on in silence towards the town.

When the first buildings fell into view Dreya strode ahead with purpose. Rufus nearly had to run to catch up. As they closed the distance the buildings grew larger until they loomed overhead. It was at this point that Senator Serenaba realised she did not have a plan for dealing with the Moff. She still held onto his lightsabers but was also under no illusion that he could not take them back if he so desired. It seemed unlikely that he would willingly let her put the binders back on and trying to do so by force would almost certainly prove disastrous. She decided to trust in the Force and instead set her mind to finding a transmitter. Her meeting with Rufus was clearly no accident, of that she was certain.

Her companion seemed ill at ease once they breached the town’s perimeter. His eyes appeared to be searching for something. It was almost like he was staring through buildings trying to see something beyond them. His unexpected agitation set her on edge as well.

As she was about to question him about it a local interrupted her train of thought, “Don’t get too many visitors from this side of the desert. You don’t look like you’re from around here. Are you searchin’ for somethin’ in particular?” The haggard Ugnaught had an overly friendly way of speaking. 

“Transmitters,” Dreya responded, “We’re looking for a transmitter. Strong enough to communicate within the system is fine.”

“Well, you’ve come to the right place. Lots of junk shops here in Mos Espa with all sorts of trans-mitters.” The friendly Ugnaught drawled on as he pointed in a vague direction, “You could probably find a good shop ‘round that way.”

“Thank you,” She replied before turning to Rufus. It would have been towards him only he had continued wandering. “Hey, Wait!” she called out after him before running to catch up.

He seemed not to hear her as he walked through the crowds. His focus was wholly taken up by something unseen. She half imagined she sensed something sinister in the direction he was heading. It sent a chill through her whole body. Deciding that nonsense was caused by too much sun she tried to gain the Moff’s attention before they got lost. Finally she was able to pull him out of his stupor.

“There’s something here,” He said weakly. His eyes came into focus before he sharpened his tone, “I can feel it. Calling to me. Pulling at me. It’s so strong I can’t ignore it. I need to find it.”

“Find what?”

“Can you not sense it? The Dark Side…. And the Light.” He paused in thought, “Pain, so much pain.” His right hand clutched over his heart as he hunched over slightly. “But woven through it is hope. It’s so strong I can almost touch it.”

“Are you sure it’s not just the heat affecting your senses?” Dreya almost hoped he would agree. His confirmation made her no longer capable of suppressing the malevolence she had felt earlier.

There was no relief when he answered, “Maybe you’re right. But the feeling’s so strong I… I have to find its source. Everything that has happened has led me here. I believe it is the Force’ will and I must follow.”

“I won’t stop you,” She said as while gently grabbing his arm. “I want to see it too. It must be my destiny too since I crashed here with you.” She put on a defiant look but it was lost on Rufus who had already returned to his search. Dreya had expected him not to notice anyways based on the vacant expression he wore. For a brief moment a lucid expression crossed his face and he leaned in closer to her. His placed his free hand over hers and gave it a light squeeze. Then he gently pulled on her arm indicating that she should follow. Without hesitation she shadowed his every step as he drifted through the city.

\-------------------------------------------------------------//------------------------------------------------------------- 

After winding their ways through the grotty streets Rufus came to a halt outside what appeared to be the single most rundown shop in the entire town. The structure itself looked no different than any other on the block but the windows and what lay beyond had an aura of neglect that suggested the building had not been used in decades.

He stared at the entrance. Like most of the doors he had seen on the planet it came in the standard off-white colour with a round top. The control switch for it was on the right side of the doorway a little below shoulder height. From behind the door he could feel something calling to him. It was similar to the feeling back on Loslier but with tugged at him with even greater intensity. Rufus had to know more. He reached out a hand towards the control console.

Before he could press the button to open the door he was interrupted by a gravelly voice. “That place is cursed.” Rufus turned in alarm to identify who had spoken. A wizened old lady stood there a few steps away with a concerned look on her face. 

For the first time since he began moving through the city he realised Dreya was still with him. Had she been there the whole time? He faintly recalled her voice trailing him as he wandered through the busy streets. He would have to find a way to apologise later. In the meantime he could feel a sense of impatience growing in the elderly lady. Hastily he responded, “I’m a bit old to believing in curses but thank you for the warning.”

“It’s true. This place has been nothing but bad luck. All that have owned it have suffered misfortune. That’s why it’s been abandoned so long.” Rufus started to turn back to the door. “You don’t believe me. If you only knew what had happened. The tales I could tell you would keep you awake at night.”

Resignedly Rufus decided to humor her, “Then tell me so I can judge for myself.”

The old lady seemed to light up as she went into detail what had transpired. “First there was this Toydarian. He lost a lot of money in a single bet. Then decades later he just seemed to disappear.”

“That hardly seems unusual. Probably had a debt he couldn’t pay that someone decided to collect on.”

“I’ve only just started. Once people realised it was abandoned some young Er’Kit took it over. Weeks after settling in there a bunch of shelves broke away from the wall along with their contents. All of it landed on the poor shop owner crushing him to death.”

“That’s just ineptitude and poor maintenance.”

Nearly cutting him off she continued, “The third owner was repairing a blaster when it fired unexpectedly. All of that was followed by at least a half dozen more dying in bizarre fashion or coming to financial ruin. Even would be customers met ill fortune in there. It became so notorious that no one wanted to be associated with it in the slightest. That’s why it’s been abandoned since ‘round the time the Empire fell.” The scarf the lady wore on her head began to shift as she bounced around with excitement. It was then that Rufus realised the woman was a Balosar. The scarf no longer concealed her telltale antennae. He was curious how she ended up here but what was in the building began pulling at him more fervently. 

His eyes were briefly drawn back to the door before he responded, “That does seem to be a peculiar chain of events. I’m starting to believe that some unknown darkness resides in there. Nevertheless I must go in.”

“It’s not my place to stop you but be warned, you’ll only find trouble for yourself in there.”

“I’ll be on my guard. Thanks again,” He spoke and nodded his head in deference. Looking towards Dreya he asked, “Are you coming?”

“Do I have a choice?” She replied drolly.

Rufus operated the mechanism and the pair entered. The room was dimly lit. The air itself was stale and musty. The walls were lined with all sorts of gear for droids and ships. There was seemingly no method of organization as unrelated objects were placed haphazardly beside one another. There was a counter near the center of the room that stretched out from the near wall. It had several objects covering it as well. A clear pathway connected the front entrance to it before proceeding on to another doorway. Outside he could see even more junk piled up.

What was out there did not interest him. The beckoning feeling came from inside the room. He felt compelled to walk towards the counter. His heartbeat began to race and a thumping sound began to beat in his head. He could hear the swooshing of Dreya’s gentle footsteps behind him. The door closing itself only added to the cacophony. All the noise only served to enhance the excitement and trepidation Rufus was feeling as he closed the distance to the counter.

When he was only mere steps away the room grew dark and a young boy appeared out of nowhere on the counter. He had dirty blonde hair. There was a familiarity about his face that Rufus could not quite place. In the boys hands was some object that he seemed to be cleaning. The aura of darkness and hope both flowed from the child.

he boy looked up and through him as he asked, “Are you an Angel?”

Jealousy flared up in Rufus as he looked over his shoulder towards Dreya. To his surprise it was as if two women were trying to occupy the same spot. One wore all white while the other was in blues and brownish greys. The lady in white was clearly Dreya. The other girl looked startlingly similar though there were differences beyond her being several years younger looking. As he stared the two began merging into one being. Eventually the one in blue won out and only she remained.

As this took place the conversation had continued. First the lady replied with, “What?”

The young boy proceeded with, “An Angel. They live the moons of Iego… I think.”

Rufus took a step back so he could see both of them as their conversation proceeded. His body moved in slow motion as though he was swimming in water. Looking back at the woman he had to admit he agreed with the boy about her being an angel. The rest of their dialogue seemed trite to him. The young boy began to brag, “I’m a pilot you know. And some day I’m going to fly away from this place.” The boy further divulged details of his childhood.

The girl asked, “How long have you been here?”

“Since I was very little. Three, I think. My mom and I were sold to Gardulla the Hutt, but she lost us betting on the Pod Races.”

“You’re a slave?” the young woman asked incredulously.

“I’m a person and my name is Anakin.” 

Rufus was caught off guard by this revelation. The only times he had heard that name were when the Emperor told him of the Clone Wars or Darth Vader. Suddenly the familiarity of the boy made sense. Rufus had seen old recordings of the former Jedi Anakin Skywalker and this child could easily have been related. He was so shocked by this that he barely heard the girl’s apology.

Out of nowhere a third person entered the room. It was a bumbling creature that Rufus resented immediately. It took a moment until he realised it was a Gungan. Yes, that’s what they are called, he thought as he remembered the unfortunate creature in the hangar. Its idiotic stare and clumsiness irritated Rufus to no end. He got the feeling there was nothing he could do about it and tried to remain patient. Surely this creature is the cause of all the misfortune, he thought. As he watched the Gungan it created a spectacle of calamity. Rufus began to muse that the destructive force he was witnessing was more powerful than even a Juggernaut perhaps even the Force itself. It began battling a small mischievous droid and finally caught it by the neck.

The boy called out, “Hey! Hit the nose!”

As the Gungan complied the room brightened and all three people faded away. Rufus was left with Dreya. He stared at her a moment trying to absorb her features. The two women were definitely distinct. It did not take him long to decide he preferred Dreya.

“What is it?” she asked with a concerned look on her face.

“Oh, um, it’s nothing, really.” He let out a sigh, “Actually, there is one thing…” he trailed off. Dreya’s expression changed to one that brooked no nonsense. It almost screamed ‘get on with it’. Steeling himself he continued, “You’re not an Angel are you?”

Her initial surprise was quickly replaced by laughter. Trying to speak through giggles she asked, “Where did you come up with that line? You can’t win my forgiveness that easily you know.”

“From the boy that was on the counter… Wait. You didn’t see any of it, did you?”

“See what?”

“I had a vision of some sort. I need to learn more about the boy.”

Dreya gave him a withering stare and asked, “What boy?”

“Oh, Right. The boy on the counter,” he pointed behind himself, “He called you an Angel. Or the girl that was standing where you are.”

“Girl?” Now there was a dangerous glint in her eye.

“She was talking to the boy. He was the focus of the vision,” Rufus responded emphatically. Desperately trying to change the topic he added, “There was a Gungan too. And the boy’s name was Anakin.”

“Mmm-hmm.” Dreya was less than impressed by his late additions.

“Let’s just search for a functioning transmitter.”

“Yes, let’s.” He could tell he was going to pay for this later even though it was not his fault.

They set about digging through the junk for any sign of a functioning communications device. After a few minutes of searching they finally found one miraculously still in working order. Better yet, it was capable of transmitting off planet.

Dreya was the first to use it. She managed to contact her fleet almost immediately. They planned an extraction by the outskirts of Mos Espa. Once she finished she tried to hand the device over to Rufus. 

Surprised by the gesture he asked, “Are you letting me go?”

“Just this once. It wouldn’t do abduct a Moff in the midst of peace talks,” she smiled sweetly at him.

“You know those were a ruse, right?”

“And yet I still believe in them.”

After a moment’s thought Rufus replied, “So do I.” 

Proffering the transmitter again she said, “Maybe pick a different landing point though. We don’t need a firefight during our rescues.”

Waving her hand away he explained, “There is something here I still need to investigate. I can feel its pull again. It’s even stronger this time. Rescue will have to wait for me but I will see you off safely.”

“Searching for another vision?”

“For answers.” Turning towards the exit he spoke again, “But for now let’s get you to the rendezvous point.” His eyes were drawn to a series of pegs near the door. A drab cloak hung on one of them. He reached for it and pulled it over his head. The size was a decent enough fit. His battle armour was well hidden under it. Noticing Dreya’s puzzled expression he reassured her, “It wouldn’t be good for you to be seen wandering around with Darth Gemin.”

The two laughed about it before they headed to the door. Just as Rufus was about to open it Dreya commanded, “Wait!” Rufus turned to see what was wrong just as she rushed into him. Her arms wrapped around him as she pulled him close and hugged him tightly. Rufus reciprocated and the two stood there holding one another for what seemed like an eternity.

Eventually Rufus spoke up, “We should get moving before they start to worry about you.”

“Just a little longer,” she pleaded. “I don’t think we will be getting another tranquil moment like this for a while.” He assented to her request. After another minute or so she placed her hands on his shoulders and gently pushed him away. “It’s time to go,” she said reluctantly. “Oh, and I suppose you’ll be needing these,” her hands went to her side before reappearing in front of her holding a pair of lightsabers. “These kinds of towns can be a little rough. It’s best you don’t wander around them unarmed.”

A look of disbelief fell upon Rufus’ face. “T-Thankyou. Its felt like a part of me was missing without them.” Numbly he retrieved his weapons from her and promptly hid them under his pilfered cloak. “But now I feel I’m about to lose another part of me,” he spoke with a sad expression.

Ignoring his late addition she said, “Just remember to behave yourself when we meet up with Republic soldiers.” She smiled gently as her hand shot up to caress his cheek. She tried to be reassuring as she added, “We will see each other again lover. Of that I’m certain.” Then she reached passed him to the control panel and opened the door. Daylight flooded into the entrance area. Without another word she walked through the door. He stood stupefied for a moment before hurrying after her.

Chapter 17:

When they exited the building the old lady was nowhere to be seen. The street was mostly empty except for a few locals leaning up against a building across the road. They looked surprised to see people emerging from the abandoned shop. One of them began murmuring something indistinguishable before they turned their attention away from the interlopers. Dreya and Rufus could tell their presence was unwanted and so they left the area with haste.

Not far from the shop a street urchin ran up to them tried to get their attention. Dreya saw Rufus flick something shiny towards the child. The young girl caught the object and pulled it close to her body. Stealing a peak at the object her eyes grew wide as saucers. She began to stammer, “Si-Sir. That’s too much!” Rufus ignored her and waved a dismissive hand at her. Beaming a smile she turned and ran down some alleyway.

Dreya spoke up, “I can’t tell which part is the act. Your kindness or… Well, your other side.”

“Maybe both are.” Dreya rolled her eyes at his flippant response. Leaving no room for further discussion they continued onward.

Navigating the dusty streets they at last came to the edge of the city near the extraction point. In the not too far distance they could see a Republic shuttle. Some soldiers were milling about it but they were barely visible at this distance. Upon seeing the vessel Dreya nearly broke into a run. She debated telling the young Moff to remain in Mos Espa in order to keep him a secret. Part of her wanted Rufus to stay behind but another part did not want him to leave her side. Torn by these opposing feelings she held her tongue. Thus the two continued on in silence though Rufus grew more wary with each passing step.

As they drew near the soldiers came to attention. Several of them had their hands hover over their blasters though none dared grab hold. Once Dreya’s face was clearly visible they all began to relax. Their agitation returned when they realised who her companion was. Several blasters were instantly trained on the poor Moff.

The captain of the unit stepped forward and asked gruffly, “Is ‘e your prisoner?” He was a Twi’lek and his accent was thick.

“No,” Dreya waved her hand dismissively, “Just a travelling companion. This is a rough city after all.”

“What’s a politician like ‘im doing all the way out ‘ere then?”

Moff Klugl spoke up, “I’m on a diplomatic mission. I was supposed to meet with Kenna the Hutt when I ran into your delightful Senator Serenaba. Naturally I couldn’t let her wander the streets of Mos Espa on her own. I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to her because of my negligence.”

The captain glared at him, “I was talking to the Senator.” His voice softened, “But I understand your concern. Though I’m surprised you’re not with a full escort yourself. Moff’s aren’t known for visiting the criminal underbelly of the galaxy. Then again, you don’t strike me as a typical politician.” The two shared a laugh before the captain turned to his men barking, “Stand down men! ‘e’s no ‘arm.” Most of the unit relaxed and began readying the ship for takeoff. Looking back at Klugl the captain said, “I’d offer you a lift but people might mistake it for abduction. You understand right?”

“I’ve got my own ride anyway. But thanks for your kindness.”

“Don’t be getting all sentimental on me now Moff Klugl.” Turning to Dreya he continued, “It’s time we were leaving Senator. The fight up there is not going so well. In fact we’ve only got a small window to get you out of ‘ere before the fleet retreats.” He refocused his attention on Klugl giving him a suspicious glare, “Pretty convenient you being ‘ere with that invasion going on.”

“I’m just here for diplomacy Captain. What happens up there has nothing to do with me.” In spite of himself his hands drifted over his lightsabers. The cloak still blocked them from view but the Captain clearly picked up on his wariness.

“If I didn’t know better I’d say you were in on this whole operation. Time is short though or you and I would be having a serious ‘eart to ‘eart.” Giving the Moff one last reproachful look he turned to his men and commanded, “Alright, time to get out of this wasteland.”

Four or five of the soldiers had their blasters fixed on Klugl. None of them had budged at their Captains earlier command. They recognised their enemy and were not prepared to let him go. Dreya watched all this unfold and her mind raced furiously to come up with a way to diffuse the situation. 

She stood several paces away from Rufus. Throwing caution to the wind she strode toward him and reached her arms outward towards him. Her hands clasped the back of his neck as she pulled his head towards hers. Their lips locked and the world melted away around them. His arms moved around her with one at her lower back and one at the nape of her neck. They held each other in a passionate embrace. A strong gust of wind billowed sand all around them but neither one took any notice of it. Nothing could distract them from this moment.

The soldiers did not need their captain shouting, “Stand down, men!” for them to holster their weapons this time. Uncomfortably they all tried to slink away from the embracing couple. Unfortunately there was little to distract them from the spectacle in front of them. The ship was fully prepared by this point and all that was left to do was wait for their passenger to board. None of them was brave enough to interrupt the senator’s romantic interlude.

When the awkwardness of the moment finally caught up with her Dreya slowly and reluctantly relaxed her grip on Rufus. As they slightly broke away she smiled shyly, “Now you’ll just have to convince your Emperor to conduct further peace talks.”

All Rufus could do was nod dumbly as the senator turned and strode purposefully to the entrance ramp of the ship. The few remaining soldiers thought better of starting a conflict and trailed after her. When Dreya stood on the ramp she turned around and waved in a subdued manner. Rufus could feel his own arm reciprocate in a clunky parody of the motion. The ship began to lift as the ramp closed. Rufus did not move again until the vessel was completely out of sight. He took in a deep breath realising he had forgotten the last time he had done so. She was gone now. He would find her again, of that he was sure. His thoughts remained on Dreya for some time. He had nearly run onto the ship after her. All the moments they had been together had culminated in that kiss. It had meant so much more than all the ones they had stolen in quiet corners back on Mistrabo. With their secrets laid bare they were closer than ever. Their embrace had carried with it a sense of understanding and oneness. It was intoxicating. It had become everything to him. At first nothing else mattered. Time crept forward as he stood there wishing she was in his arms again.

After a while a second pervasive idea began to work its way back into his mind. Slowly yet surely the nagging pull he had experienced earlier began to permeate his thoughts again. Looking back into the city he knew what he had to do. Giving one last reluctant look towards where she had been he made his way towards Mos Espa.

Chapter 18:

Rufus wandered the streets in a trancelike state. Taking only the shortest paths he strolled heedlessly into a back alley. The buildings were packed tight in this area so it was a long way in either direction before he could get back to the main streets. The stillness of the alleyway set off alarm bells in his head. Glancing over his shoulder he could see a pair of thugs slinking up behind him. Wanting to avoid a confrontation he pushed on ahead quicker than before. As he faced forward he could see more lowlifes creeping along the rooftops. Just as he neared the end of the alleyway another pair of thugs rounded the corner to block his path. Several from the rooftops dropped down beside him while those bringing up the rear closed in behind him.

One of them spoke up, “Well look what we’ve got here. He’s practically giftwrapped too.”

Presuming this one was the leader Rufus said to him, “It’s you’re lucky day. I’m in a good mood so I’ll let you live if you walk away.” He started out jovial but by the end his voice was steel.

All the thugs burst into laughter. In that moment Rufus noticed that they were an assorted bunch of species. The leader spoke to his goons, “You here that. He’s going to let us walk away.” Turning to Rufus he added, “I don’t think you quite understand the predicament you’re in.”

Gemin responded, “It is you and you’re friends who don’t understand the predicament they are in.” He raised his right hand in the air while pinching the thumb and forefinger together. All the thugs rose off the ground clasping at their necks. Gemin continued walking as they struggled to breathe. When he had reached the end of the alleyway he turned around to face them. “Fortunately for you it will take more than that to sour my mood.” He waved his arm hand as if casting something aside and straightened his hand. The robbers slammed into the walls of nearby buildings and slumped to the ground. Giving them all a menacing stare he called out, “Don’t try to follow. I will not be so forgiving next time.” Not expecting a response he strode purposefully out of the alleyway. None of the thugs would have tried to follow even if they could have gotten to their feet. Most had been knocked out by the impact and the few still conscious were too afraid to move. The leader was the only exception. Barely clinging to lucidity he began plotting his revenge. First he needed to catch his breath though.

\-------------------------------------------------------------//-------------------------------------------------------------

The rest of Rufus’ journey was uneventful. He eventually reached a housing complex. It looked no different than any other in the area. He could feel something inside pulling him towards it. It was clear to him that the force wanted him to see it. He approached the entrance and tried operating the control panel. It refused to open as the door was locked securely. Muttering to himself about how he wished he was better at electronics he broke open the console and attempted to hotwire the door. Arty would have been perfect for this, he lamented. 

Heavy footsteps approached from behind and a voice called out, “Hey. What do you think you’re doing?”

“I’m trying to get inside. There’s something I need to see.” Rufus stopped fiddling with the wires and tried to obstruct the damage from view. A short and stocky creature eyed him suspiciously. The back of his scaly skin was dark purple while his front side was a pale brownish orange colour. The contrast was an unsettling sight. His basic build was similar to a human though every part of him seemed more bulbous. Rufus suspected that it was a trait of this creature rather than his species. Continuing his appraisal Rufus noted that the man held no weapons.

“Maybe you should be asking the one’s that live there to let you in,” said the creature as he tried to get catch a glimpse of the control panel.

“I would but I don’t know where they are and I’m in a hurry.”

“Well stop destroying the controls or you’ll never get in. I’ll be charging you for the repairs if it’s beyond fixing.”

“So you’re the owner?”

“I own all these lots,” The man made a broad sweeping gesture towards the buildings in the area.

“Then, can you let me inside. It’s urgent.”

“That depends on what you’re looking for. Tell me what it is and I’ll decide if you can enter.”

“I’m not really sure.”

“Here to steal valuables then?”

“No. I’m here to learn something. Perhaps you can help me. Years ago, did a young boy live here?”

“I’ll have to look at my records. This will just take a minute,” he said as he pulled out a device. Concentrating on the object he muttered, “Hmm, nope, nope.” Looking up at Rufus he spoke more clearly, “I’m sorry; none of the previous owners had children. And I keep meticulous records.”

Rufus thought for a moment. That boy had been a slave. Of course his family wouldn’t have property. But who owned the boy? Sifting through his memories he could not recall who he belonged to after the Hutt. Probably the store owner, he mused. Wait! That’s it! Excited by his new revelation he hurriedly asked, “What about a Toydarian?”

“A Toydarian? Let me just check.” He scrolled through the data once again. “Aha! Looks like you’re in luck. There was a Toydarian. Watto.” The landlord’s chuffed smile turned to a frown, “What’s he got to do with it?”

“I believe he owned a slave. A young boy named Anakin.”

“Anakin?” The landlord’s eyes lit up. “Now I remember. The little scamp up and won the Boonta Eve Pod Race all those years ago. You don’t forget something like that no sirree. Not every day you see a human race. And a human child? Remarkable.” The creature appeared to be stuck in nostalgia. Rufus pointedly cleared his throat. “Oh, right. It’s all coming back now. That Anakin fellow lived here. Must have been nearly eighty years ago.”

“What became of him?”

“I think he won his freedom back then. Than that young Skywalker up and became a Jedi if you can believe it.”

Rufus felt an unexpected cold chill run down his spine. “Did you say Skywalker?” The landlord nodded. Rufus struggled with his disbelief. Here was the home of Darth Vader. His master had drilled it into his head how instrumental Vader had been for the fall of the Jedi and the rise of the Empire. He became giddy with excitement and all his words seem to come out at once.

“You’ll have to speak at bit more clearly than that. These old ears aren’t what they used to be.”

“Sorry,” taking a calming breath he continued, “I must see inside. There is something about Anakin that I have to know.”

“Won’t do you any good. Once Watto sold Skywalker’s mother he offloaded the place too. All their possessions are gone now. Have been for a long time.”

“Even so, I must go in there. There’s still a possibility that something was left behind. I cannot ignore it. This could change everything.” There was a frantic look in his eyes that made the landlord take pause.

“Well, if it’s that important to you I suppose I could let you inside for a little while. Not every day a Jedi comes knocking,” the landlord broke off into laughter. Elbowing Rufus aside he began repairing the doors console.

“How did you…?” Rufus tried to ask in bewilderment.

“Hmm? Oh, you’re weapon. Only a Jedi carries that though I thought they went extinct.”

Rufus looked downwards only to discover his cloak had flipped up on one side revealing one of his lightsabers. Mildly embarrassed by this mistake he quickly straightened the cloak to hide the weapon from further detection. Returning to the conversation at hand he spoke, “They did die out. Some have tried to restore the order but it has not gone well.”

“I take it you’re not one of them then?” the door opened up behind the landlord as he asked.

“No. I follow a different path than they do.”

“Jedi or no, you still have my respect. Not many out here would be so welcoming.”

“May I?” Rufus pointed to the open door.

“By all means,” The landlord waddled out of the way. “Just don’t break anything else while you’re in there.”

“You’re not coming with me?”

“I was taught at a young age not to involve myself with the affairs of Jedi. It’s worked for me so far.”

“Then by your leave,” Rufus nodded to the landlord before entering the hovel.

Chapter 19:

The interior of the building seemed normal enough. None of the furniture stood out and the shelves were only sparsely populated. Rufus got the feeling that the house was hardly lived in. He thought up fanciful reasons as to why the occupants only seldom used the place. These ranged from benign ideas like outlanders needing temporary lodging to more sinister things like safe houses for career criminals. The good news was they were unlikely to drop in at this time but his paranoia started getting the best of him as he warily searched for booby traps. Finding nothing he proceeded deeper into the house.

There was a time worn dining table in one of the rooms. The Dark Side of the Force seemed strongest overtop of it. It was not like the Sith temples of old but more of a lingering presence. Realising this was where he was meant to be he walked towards the table and placed his hands on it. Immediately the light was sucked out of the room yet his vison remained clear. He could sense pain and fear surrounding him. He drew these feelings in and another vision appeared before him. This time five people appeared around the table though they were less distinct than the previous vision.

The young boy was there. To his right and sharing his side of the table was the Gungan. The young woman from before was to the child’s left on the narrow side of the table. Across the table from her sat an old man. That placed him at Rufus’ left elbow. The only spot remaining was along the long side across from the boy. Here sat a middle aged woman with a somewhat weathered face from a hard life.

The young woman spoke first, “I can’t believe there’s still slavery in the galaxy.” Rufus nearly laughed at her naivety. She continued, “The Republics anti-slavery laws-“

The older lady was quick to educate her on such matters saying, “The Republic doesn’t exist out here.”

The darkness swirled in front of them for a moment before the Gungan stuck his tongue out towards something on the table. In the blink of an eye the old man caught the Gungan’s tongue between his finger and thumb. Rufus instantly gained respect for the old man and the speed of his reactions. He also felt a sense of satisfaction at seeing the creature’s plight.

It was the boy who spoke next, “You’re a Jedi Knight.” The old mans unexpected speed suddenly made sense. A brief blur and the conversation jumped ahead a little. In a very matter of fact way the boy said, “No one can kill a Jedi.”

The old man looked forlorn as he responded, “I wish that were so.”

The topic changed to the child’s desire to free the slaves before stumbling upon the reason the guests were there. Everything became muted in this span so it was difficult for Rufus to understand. He was able to decipher key words but they spoke to fast for him to get details. Missing out on what could be vital information frustrated him to no end. His irritation turned to anger and this fed into the darkness of the room. Everything began to warp before his eyes. Worried that he would miss even more details he tried to quiet his mind. Slowly his anger faded and the darkness lightened right along with it.

Clarity returned to the conversation as the boy spoke, “You could enter my pod.”

The middle aged lady interrupted, “Anakin! Watto won’t let you.” That was the confirmation Rufus had been looking for. This had to be Anakin Skywalker. All those lessons he had endured to become Vader’s successor and now the legend was there right before his eyes. The revelation had momentarily distracted him from their conversation. The lady continued, “I don’t want you to race.”

“But mom, I love it,” Anakin whined. 

So she is his mother, Rufus mused. No wonder the fear and pain seem to surround her more than the others. But what became of her? There has to be more. The talking began to fade out again as he pondered her importance.

When it finally did return clearly Anakin was speaking once more. “Mom, you say the biggest problem in this universe is nobody helps each other.” Rufus was stunned by this statement. His own mother must have said it a thousand times. He was so shocked he nearly missed her response.

“He can help you. He was meant to help you.” Her acceptance sent a chill down his spine. There was a terrifying sense of foreboding that he could not shake off. Knowing what became of the child failed to help. As he worried about Anakin’s fate the room seemed to brighten and the people around the table faded away. The vision had dispersed yet gloom hung over the house. Rufus began to wonder, is there more to see? Sensing nothing else within the house he made his way to the exit. The building was still filled with an unnatural light haze.

As he walked through the doorway he spotted the landlord standing a little ways off. He had not been kidding about wanting nothing to do with the affairs of Jedi. Rufus was about to wave him over when even the sun was blotted out by a surge of darkness. The riffraff that had filled the street were gone only to be replaced by the very same people he had left at the table just moments ago. 

The old Jedi and Anakin were walking away while his mother stood near the door. Suddenly the boy turned around and bolted towards his mother. Rufus was wracked with anguish. The Dark Side became oppressive as the pain that wrapped around this moment nearly forced him to his knees. 

Slightly hunched over he watched as the boy reached his mother and whimpered, “I can’t do it mom. I just can’t do it.” This flashback seemed to bring his past crashing back into focus. He envisioned his own mother cradled in his arms giving her dying breath. Anakin’s pain became his own as the two visions blended together. Gemin had forgotten what attachment felt like. He wanted to lash out at everything and everyone again. His rage built and he could feel the Dark Side of the Force well up within in him. As he prepared to seek retribution against the universe an image of Dreya surfaced in his mind. Momentarily stunned he reminded himself, she wouldn’t want this. Restraining himself he began to let go of his hate. Slowly but surely he restored his inner balance.

The vision of Anakin had halted as if waiting for him. Even now the will of the Force surprised him. Knowing the power of the Force was one thing but seeing it play out in unexpected ways was quite another. The boy continued to speak to his mother, “Will I ever see you again.” 

It took every bit of Gemin’s strength to not give in to the Dark Side again. This vision gave him only pain. Pain that he had long ago buried. When he thought that he could endure no more the mother replied, “What does your heart tell you?”

The boy replied, “I hope so. Yes. I guess.” Gemin barely noticed his own tears as he watched the two with rapt attention.

“Then we will see each other again,” the mother said reassuringly. Her statement caused Rufus to feel a wave of hope that nearly overwhelmed him. I can see her again. I will see her again. Her memories still remain. This must be what the Force wanted me to see! Excited by the prospect of seeing his own mother again he could hardly wait for the vision before him to fade. A moment later he was thankful not to get his wish as Anakin’s mother continued, “Now, be brave and don’t look back.” Her words filled him with determination. She added a refrain of, “Don’t look back,” and all he could feel was resolution. The pain of his mother’s death had abated. He realised he needed to look forward. Remember the dead but save your worry for the living.

Rufus watched as Anakin turned and walked away from his mother. He did not look back once as the vision faded away. In an instant the darkness departed and the bright light of Tatooine’s twin suns lit up the road. The landlord waddled over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

“You had me worried. For a moment there I thought you were going to kill us.” The landlord’s smile failed to mask his apprehension.

“For a moment, I nearly did,” Gemin responded. The landlord took a frightened step back. Gemin tactfully reassured him, “You are safe. It was only the vision I saw and it has now passed.”

Visibly relaxing the landlord asked, “Anything else you need or can I lock the door.”

Rufus waved dismissively, “I’m done with this place. But I do have a question or two to ask.” The landlord tensed as he awaited the questions. “Firstly, what became of Anakin’s mother?”

Breathing a sigh of relief the landlord replied, “As I said before, she was sold. To someone on the outskirts if I remember correctly. I think he was a moisture farmer or something. Beyond that I don’t know.”

Taking him at his word Rufus asked only one further question, “The outskirts are fairly large. Any clue as to which direction to head?” Without receiving the answer he could already tell where to head. The Force was already calling to him again.

“Not sure to be honest, but… If I had to make a guess it would be roughly in that direction.” The landlord pointed vaguely towards where Rufus was already drawn to.

“Thanks for all your help,” He said with a slight bow.

“Anytime, Jedi,” the landlord mimicked the gesture.

Rufus headed off in the direction he had been pointed. His feet could use a rest but he pushed on despite their protests. He regretted being idle for so long in the capital. It had made him soft. What was yet to come was too important for him to relent to such weakness. Ignoring it he pressed onwards through and out of Mos Espa.

Chapter 20:

After he had been clear of the city for several minutes Rufus began to feel aimless. All he could see in any direction was sand dunes. The Dark Side still called to him though it had become faint. Closing his eyes he tried to block out all distractions. The effect was immediate. He could sense anger beckoning him forward with renewed vigor. There was so much pain in it that he feared what lay ahead. Yet still he trusted in the Force and blindly trudged onward through the desert.

Eventually he reached a place that seemed filled with the Force. Finally opening his eyes he had to squint at the sudden brightness. Rufus estimated that there was still plenty of daylight left. When his eyes had fully adjusted he looked around but all he saw was sand. Despondency overcame him as he believed the Force had tricked him. Bellowing with rage and anguish he lashed out. Sand burst into the air as he pushed at it with the Force and unleashed lightning all around him. 

As he fed his hatred into the surroundings the darkness he had been chasing seemed to grow thick right in front of him. Noticing this Gemin redoubled his efforts trying to make a vision happen. Soon he was rewarded as the twin suns were blotted out. Around him a simple building began to take shape. It held a tenuous grip on reality almost as if it would slip away at any moment. The structure never coalesced into something substantial. Details remained vague to Gemin for both the building and the things it contained. What did come to life were two people standing in the room. One was the young woman from before though she looked a fair bit older now. The other was a young man that he did not quite recognize but there was something about him that seemed familiar. For some reason he was reminded of his father. Perhaps he would have looked like that when he was younger. It seemed possible for the two to be related but he decided it was merely coincidence.

Putting that thought aside he finally noticed how agitated the man was acting. In fact he was very much surrounded by the Dark Side. The whole vision centered on him and his pain. His emotions were sharper than the rest of the vision almost as if everything else was merely an afterthought to them. The woman was trying to comfort him but to no avail. 

The young man began to speak. At first it was just ramblings as he tried to search for answers. Then it became purposeful and full of remorse. With clarity he spoke, “Why’d she have to die? Why couldn’t I save her? I know I could have!” The man walked away a few steps while Gemin wondered who he was talking about. Hoping to be enlightened he continued listening to their conversation with rapt attention.

The woman responded, “Sometimes there are things no one can fix. You’re not all powerful Annie.”

“Well I should be!” Gemin nearly missed the Anakin’s response as he grappled with the revelation of his identity. “Someday I will be!” 

This sent a cold chill down his spine. There were far too many similarities between them and it scared him. Is this how they see me? Is this how she sees me? Gemin desperately wanted to prove he was more than the anger he felt from his festering old wounds. It made him worry that he was little more than some sad Vader pretender. He reminded himself that he dealt with his pain when it happened and had become detached from his loss long ago. Have I really moved beyond it? The day’s events had caused old memories to stir. It made him suspect that he had only buried his feelings all this time.

Anakin’s rant continued and Gemin tried his best to catch up, “I will even learn to stop people from dying!” 

Gemin’s resolve was shaken by this statement. He began to imagine what could have been if he had use of that ability. As he did so he only listened with half an ear as the woman worriedly said, “Anakin.”

The tantrum Anakin had next made Gemin glad he was barely paying attention. That was until an abject came flying towards him. Instinctively he raised his hands to block it but the object sailed right through him. Remembering he was lost in a vision he relaxed a bit and resumed watching.

The room seemed to darken further as the woman asked, “What’s wrong Annie?”

Gemin could almost feel the hurt in the air. Hatred filled Anakin as he replied, “I… I killed them. I killed them all. They’re dead. Every single one of them.” 

He watched as tears ran down Anakin’s cheeks. Curiosity overcame him and he asked, “Killed who?” Unfortunately he missed what Anakin said next because of it. The look of horror on the woman’s face said enough.

“They’re like animals,” Anakin continued, “And I slaughtered them like animals.” Gemin fought off flashbacks of Gelvin as he tried to focus on what he was hearing. “I hate them!”

As he watched and listened he continued to realise just how much they had in common. Surely this is the day he became Vader. The suffering he sensed from Anakin mirrored his own when his mother was murdered in front of him. No one had been spared his wrath that day and it was likely none were spared Skywalker’s either. Gemin reflected on the work he still had to do. Those truly responsible would pay. He would see to that.

The vision seemed to wait for him to regain his focus before it continued. Anakin collapsed to the floor while the woman tried to comfort him as she said, “To be angry is to be human.”

The upset clear on his face Anakin replied, “I’m a Jedi. I know I’m better than this.” The last of his resolve gone he began to weep inconsolably. The woman wiped tears from his face and the pair faded into darkness. The dark suddenly gave way to bright sunlight.

It took Gemin a moment to regain his bearings. Much of the landscape had changed during his vision. He now stood at the center of a crater in the sand. Large swathes of its surface had transformed into glass. To his left part of a building appeared to be sticking out of the sand. Sitting next to the building was some sort of mechanical object. Rufus pushed the sand off it while also gently pulling it free with the Force. What he unearthed was a speeder bike. “I can take a hint,” he said to no one in particular.

Climbing onto the bike he tested it out. It immediately responded. Of course it still works, he thought irreverently. After making a few laps around the nearby area he felt confident he had shaken the rust off. It had been some time since he had last driven one. “At least this time there’s no trees to crash into,” he muttered to himself. He was about to head back to Mos Espa when he felt drawn deeper into the desert. Surely I’ve seen enough by now. Resisting the urge to heed its call he turned toward the city and accelerated. The engine immediately stalled out and he crashed into a nearby sand bank. 

Gemin bounced several times before coming to a halt. Righting himself he tried to shake off all the sand his clothes had accumulated in the process to no avail. Looking back to where he had come from he found the bike stuck in a dune and quickly freed it again. This time he pointed it away from the city. Reluctantly he accelerated towards the deep desert.

Chapter 21:

The twin suns began to set as Darth Gemin neared his destination. The waning light cast a red hue over the rocky terrain he had entered. Ahead of him was a flat sandy clearing protected by several large clusters of outcroppings of rocks. Gemin stopped the speeder bike at the boundary of sand and stone before dismounting. Peering ahead he noticed that the sheltered area was dotted with the remnants of crude buildings. Evidently some tribe had lived here but had abandoned the place long ago. By his estimation the structures had been little better than tents. Gemin assumed they belonged to the planets Tusken Raiders. But what drove them off? Warily he approached the ruins on foot. He did not want to fall prey to whatever stalked this wasteland.

It felt as though something was driving towards the center of the makeshift village. He could hardly fathom anything important happening there but strode forward purposefully all the same. Making his way through the debris he reached what he believed was the source of the concentrated Dark Side. Confusion set in as the nearby environs were nearly bare save for the odd bit of wreckage. Scanning around he noted the layout of the camp and realised something ought to have been placed around his position. It was only then that he noticed he was standing within a faint broken circle on the ground. Taking a closer look he saw that only the smallest pieces of the base of a hut remained. This was someone’s home once. Trying to figure out why this house was in worse condition than the rest of the dilapidated huts he began pacing about the ring.

Darkness encapsulated the hut as its walls took form. The image of Anakin formed in front of him as well as a bound and injured woman. It took him a moment to identify her as Anakin’s mother. His heart nearly broke as realisation took hold. With a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach he watched with horror what the vision was showing him. Unable to contain himself he spoke aloud, “Not this. Anything but this. Please. Anything else.” He tried to will the vision away but it would not relent.

As if to spite him Anakin began untying his mother. Once free she slumped to the ground with Anakin cradling her. Gemin’s pain threatened to burst forth as he yelled, “No. No. Nooo!” He began to see a vision of himself holding his dying mother while Anakin’s story continued to play out. Time seemed sluggish as everything began to move in a jerky manner. He hardly noticed how heavy his breathing had become. All his efforts were focused on fighting off the anguish that threatened to overwhelm him. “It’s too much,” he whispered though it threatened to break into squeaks. “Showing one was cruel enough, but this?” The ground shuddered in harmony with his whimpers.

Gemin barely noticed as he lashed out with the Dark Side. Sand storms began to pop up all over the planet. If someone had been watching him they would have seen bursts of blue and red lighting striking out at the village haphazardly. As he funneled his pain away he became aware of the conversation Anakin was having.

“I missed you,” Anakin whispered.

His mother replied softly, “Now I am complete.” After a pause she struggled to add, “I lo… y…”

“Stay with me mom,” Anakin insisted. “Everythi…”

“I love-“ Her voice cut out.

While this conversation was occurring Gemin’s mother said, ““Rufus… Rufus, you mustn’t give in to hate. Promise me that… promise me you won’t give in to haaa...” Their mothers’ words seemed to end simultaneously. The two women slumped in their son’s arms as life left their bodies.

Anakin’s pained expression mirrored his own. Gemin could sense unbridled rage building within each of them. When He could bear it no more he let out a primal scream. The world seemed to bend as a torrent of lighting shot out of his fingers. Some of it appeared black though he suspected that was caused by the vision. He began to feel exhaustion creeping as his anger abated. Gemin hunched forward as the bursts of lighting slowed and finally stopped altogether. Collapsing to the ground he watched as Anakin promptly exited the hut. Quickly he returned to his feet and followed.

Everything blurred as the vision shifted. Gemin now floated in air as he watched this new scene from a distance. What he saw was an army of red creatures facing off against one man. The creatures were blurry to him but the man was perfectly clear. It was quite the shock to see his father standing there and staring down the monsters. He was a bit younger than Gemin had ever seen him but the resemblance was uncanny. His father held a pair of lightsabers. In his left hand was one that glowed with a light whiter than purest snow. In his left was one darker than blackest night. This one seemed to suck out the light around it while the other was an endless source. 

The opposing force seemed bathed in darkness while his father shone with light. As the creatures moved in they threatened to snuff out the light. His father held his own against the darkness but it was clear he would be overwhelmed at any moment. There were too many for him to stand against on his own. 

As Gemin tried to make sense of this the vision began to distort. His father’s face changed until it matched Anakin’s. Gone were the black and white lightsabers. They had been replaced by a single blue one. The red creatures faded away. Moments later crude huts began to appear. With them came a different kind of creature. They wore masks on their faces and ragged garments. By the look of them Gemin surmised they were Tusken Raiders.

Anakin stared at them with hate. In a flash his lightsaber began striking down the sand people. Gemin nearly shouted stop but part of him understood. He had done something similar all those years ago. Watching Anakin unleash his pain on the Tusken Raiders felt liberating to Gemin. Here was someone who understood. Their paths had become uncomfortably similar.

As he watched the carnage Gemin began to wonder if his earlier assessment was correct. Here were the people Anakin had slaughtered but it did not feel as though he was committed to the Dark Side. But if this didn’t send him over the edge, what did? Gemin fumbled through his memories before he made the connection. The young woman! How could I have missed that? Feeling a little frustrated with himself it took him a moment to reach a second conclusion. Dreya! Instantly he was filled with fear for her safety. He started to sprint towards the speeder bike. The image of Tusken Raiders oozed past him making his head swim. Tripping over debris on the ground he hurried to get back to his feet. He began to tear off again before coming to a halt. She is safe and out of his reach, Gemin reassured himself. He decided that he must protect her identity from the Emperor. For too long Palpatine had been searching for the key to unlocking his full potential but she was a cost he was unwilling to pay.

As if on cue the vision melted away. The screams of dying Tusken Raiders filled his head a moment longer. When clarity returned he released his hold on the Force. Sand storms that had been raging across the planet suddenly came to a halt. Looking around he saw scorch marks scattered over every visible surface. With a touch of worry he ran over to the speeder bike. It had been sheltered by a small rocky outcrop. Feeling a great deal of relief he clambered onto it and headed back to Mos Espa.

Chapter 22:

Captain Keldor surveyed the battle with a smile. It had been hard fought but victory was at hand. The enemy fleet was preparing to retreat. He had been worried earlier when a small shuttle had landed on the planet but it had stayed for such a short period he was certain they were merely rescuing that pesky fighter pilot. That only left more questions about the fate of Lord Gemin though.

As if reading his mind one of the officers on the bridge spoke up, “No report from Darth Gemin yet, Sir!”

Another crew member asked, “Do you think he survived the crash?”

“Of course he did,” replied the officer, “now cut the chatter and get back to work.”

“Anything else to report,” Keldor asked anxiously. They had orders to maintain control of the sector so they were not going anywhere anytime soon. All this waiting for news of Gemin’s fate was beginning to wear on him a little. At least the battle was a success. He worried for a moment that he had spoken out loud. When no one reacted he secretly let out a sigh of relief. It would do no good for morale if he showed worry now.

The officer who had spoken earlier was the one to respond, “Sir, there’s been quite a bit of unusual activity on Tatooine.”

“Unusual activity?”

“Yes sir. Scanners indicate an abnormal number of sand storms across the planet. A moment ago it seemed as if the whole planet was covered in them. Only now they’ve all just… disappeared.”

“Disappeared?”

“I don’t know how to explain it sir, but they’re all gone now. And there was some other phenomenon too. Though the scanners couldn’t identify what that was. It seemed concentrated on the outskirts of Mos Espa.”

“Hmmm,” Keldor pondered these revelations. “If memory serves Lord Gemin crashed near Mos Espa.”

“That’s correct. Do you think it’s possible he’s the cause of all this?”

“The Emperor warned me something like this would happen if he landed on the planet. He didn’t go into specifics but it seems safe to believe that Lord Gemin is alive and well.” Thinking for a moment he added, “Keep checking for communications from the planet. He may decide to visit Kenna directly now that he’s down there. Report to me the moment you hear anything. Understood?”

“Yes sir!”

“I think you can handle what’s left of the Republic fleet.” With that he left the bridge and headed to his quarters. It had been an exhausting day and he needed rest. The Republic seemed unlikely to try anything at this stage in the battle and he wanted to be alert once they finally regrouped.

Chapter 23:

Darkness had settled on Tatooine by the time Rufus reached Mos Espa. Most of the inhabitants had turned in for the night leaving the sprawling city with little illumination. Rufus decided to ditch the speeder bike near the outskirts before entering on foot. As he made his approach his felt a strong sense of imminent danger. Filled with alarm he probed the area for lifeforms. Several had gathered in the shadows to either side of the entrance. More still were hidden up ahead with one seemingly on the roof of a larger building.

Aware of the trap he prepared for it to spring. Pulling the hood of his cloak over his head he strode forward with hands at the ready. Soft footsteps approached him from both sides and behind. Before he could react a blast of electricity hit him in the back. It momentarily stunned him though he recovered quickly. It’s tame compared to the Emperor’s training. Acting incapacitated he waited for his attackers to close in while he took the electricity and shifted it into a ball in his hands. When they were nearly upon him he sprang into action throwing the ball of lightning at the closest ones. Those around him screamed in pain and surprise.

Rufus began tossing his assailants about with the Force. There were more this time than in the alleyway but that hardly mattered to him. He believed none of them were a danger to him. Several more came charging towards him from further into the city. He paid them no heed until a sudden twinge of danger flashed in his mind. Turning to face the unseen threat he heard as much as sensed the shot fired from the guy on the roof. Letting go of his nearby attackers he quickly pulled his blue lightsaber into his hand to deflect the blast. Holding his free hand outstretched he guided his other weapon through the darkness towards the sniper. When he had placed it overhead he ignited it directly into the thug for a brief moment.

Afterwards he pulled the lightsaber towards the other ruffians igniting it in fits and bursts as it drew near them. Each time the street flickered red another one of them fell lifelessly to the ground. Returning his attention to those closest to him he slashed at them with deadly precision. The two lightsabers made quick work of his enemies. When only one remained he pulled his red bladed one into his hand and put it away. 

Pointing his blue lightsaber at the last one’s throat he growled, “You appear to be the lucky one tonight. I need to get to Kenna’s palace. You will take me there.”

“I’d rather be dead then help the likes of you, Jedi!” the thug responded defiantly. With his face now lit up by the lightsaber Gemin realized it was the leader of the previous attack.

“That can be arranged,” He replied calmly as he raised his blade into the air. 

Swinging it back down elicited the response he wanted as the ruffian pleaded, “Wait, Wait!” Gemin halted his attack but his posture signalled he had little patience. Drawing in a quick breath the thug continued, “Alright. I’ll take you to Kenna’s palace. First thing in the morning.” Gemin pressed his weapon closer causing the thug to squeal as he rushed to speak, “Okay, okay. Right now. I’ve got an old speeder not too far from here. It’s a nice little XP-55 model. Surprisingly durable for the price.”

“No tricks.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”

Hauling the thug to his feet he commanded, “Lead the way.” He turned off his lightsaber and the pair walked through the city in abject silence. The streets were uncomfortably quite. It was as if everyone was holding their breath in an attempt to avoid notice. Perhaps our scuffle caught people’s attention. He kept his weapon handy as he warily followed the ruffian. Expecting an ambush at any moment he peered intently at every shadow. 

As they wandered they reached a house at the edge of the city. They crept around the side of it until they reached the back. Here Gemin was relieved to see a beat up looking speeder. It still seemed functional though he only had a cursory examination in the dark to go by.

The leader of the thugs hopped into the driver seat and quietly called out, “Well? Are you getting in?”

Giving his surroundings another brief scan he decided there was no imminent danger and hopped into the passenger seat. The gang leader turned on the vehicle and began to gently accelerate it into the open desert. Once they were clear of any obstructions the ruffian changed directions and they sped off into darkness.

Chapter 24:

The Hutt clan had suffered through tumultuous times after Jabba’s death. He had been mentoring a Hutt named Kenna since the end of the Clone Wars. In her younger years she had been a close friend of Jabba’s son Rotta and a very promising protégé. As time went on she began to distance herself from Rotta. After Jabba’s death she began to plot and scheme how to take over the Hutt crime syndicate. There was a great deal of infighting that she used to her advantage. When they were at their weakest she made a move to take charge. While they had nearly bankrupted themselves in their quest for power she had waited in the shadows acquiring as much wealth as she could. Many of the prominent leaders had become indebted to her. She used this leverage to rise to prominence. When some resisted her rule she used mercenaries to remove them. As Kenna rose to power the Hutt clan gained some sense of stability. The warring factions were quelled or killed. Only she remained to rule.

At the beginning of her reign she met resistance from the different crime syndicates including her own. Many were those that doubted her and failed to take her seriously. Few were they that still remained. Her ruthlessness and cunning had become a thing of legend among the crime families. Her allies feared her as much as her enemies if not more.

Kenna had recently taken up residency in Jabba’s former palace in order to consolidate control of the area. She had little love for the place but understood its strategic importance. It came as no surprise to her that the Republic and Empire were fighting for control. Rumors swirled that the latter had gained the upper hand in the battle. She would need to act quickly to benefit from their conflict. She had already created a list of demands though no negotiator from the Empire had arrived as of yet.

Her guards seemed on edge but she herself was at ease. Bolstering them were several crews of bounty hunters. Most of these were far more capable than the guards she hired. The air was thick with worry and was only heightened by the announcement of an approaching speeder. A local street tough was piloting it but his passenger was a complete unknown. Assuming it was an Imperial emissary she began reciting various arguments in her head. She would find a way to turn this situation into profit. She always did.

\-------------------------------------------------------------//-------------------------------------------------------------

Moff Klugl approached the enormous palace door. Daylight had broken not long ago but it was already too hot for his liking. Not wanting to stand in the dual sunshine for any duration he promptly knocked and waited for a response as calmly as he could manage. He struggled not to use the Force to tear it open as his patience was pushed to the limit. Just as he was about to snap a small port opened and a mechanical appendage popped out. It babbled at him in binary but his rudimentary understanding of the droid language allowed him to piece together what was being asked.

“I am Moff Klugl, representative of the Empire. I am here on a diplomatic mission to broker a deal with the great Kenna the Hutt.”

The droid made a few more noises before ending with an insult. Then it disappeared and the hole it had protruded from sealed shut. Klugl waited a moment before preparing to create his own entrance. As he moved to do so he heard a loud mechanical sound and watched as the door slowly opened upwards.

He headed into the gloom of the palace without a second thought. His concerns of the street thug talking had been dealt with. He had made it perfectly clear what would happen if the criminal broke his word. The ruffian had given all kinds of assurances that no one would hear of their encounters. There was a deep sense of honesty to the man’s terror that made Gemin believe him. I must be getting soft, he thought to himself. He blamed the time he had spent with Dreya on that weakness. Before meeting her he would have taken care of all loose ends without hesitation.

Now he entered Kenna’s palace with the threat that his identity might be revealed. It was known throughout the galaxy that Gemin was the Empire’s Force user. At the same time it was kept well secret that he and Moff Klugl were one and the same. Unfortunately enough powerful people could recognize the Moff on sight so rumors of his use of the Force would seriously damage his reputation as a political figure. Putting those concerns aside he focused on the present and his upcoming meeting with Kenna.

From what he knew of her she was a shrewd opponent. Her cunning had brought her to the top of the Hutt crime syndicate despite her lack of experience. On top of that she was renowned for double-dealing as well as any and every form of treachery imaginable. Moff Klugl was not certain he would get the upper hand in their upcoming meeting. This would require the delicate touch of a politician though he much preferred the idea of brute force intimidation. He did not have long to prepare. The path from the entrance led almost directly to Kenna’s antechamber. One last flight of stairs and he walked into a large open room.

The place was filled with unscrupulous aliens from all around the galaxy. There were several bounty hunters among them along with smugglers and all manner of lowlifes. Entertainment was provided though not as opulent as it might have been during Jabba’s reign. The mood seemed laid back but he detected an undercurrent of tension from some of the wiser patrons. Further into the room sat Kenna on a slightly raised part of the floor. Several servants fawned over her as she lounged seemingly unaware of the Moff’s entrance.

Klugl strode purposefully into the room. At once he noticed the floor in front of Kenna seemed suspicious. Taking a more roundabout path he stopped short her throne a little off to the side. Her glare told him that he had guessed right about the floor. He was about to speak when Kenna beat him too it.

Her words meant nothing to him but a protocol droid was quick to translate, “The mighty Kenna welcomes you to her palace. She wishes to know what the great emissary of the Empire wishes to discuss.”

“Moff Klugl, at your service,” He began with a small bow. “As you are likely already aware,” Klugl paused as the droid began to translate his words for Kenna. “The Empire was recently liberated this sector of the Outer Rim from the army of the Republic.” He had to suppress a smile as Kenna’s eyes shot open at his choice of words. “As such you would be well advised to treat the Empire fairly regarding the use of hyperspace lanes. I am here at the Emperor’s behest to negotiate a deal with you securing unrestricted travel through them. As you are undoubtedly the wisest of the Hutt’s you must understand how such a deal would be mutually beneficial.”

Kenna paused in thought after hearing his speech. Finally she responded, “I will need to think on this. Your Empire has only recently… liberated Tatooine,” There was a definite look of distaste as she spoke the last bit. The droid’s translation lost a bit of the edge to her words but it still came across clearly. “When a little time has passed and you prove capable of maintaining control of the system I will be more than willing to negotiate a fair deal. Until then it is too risky to upset the Republic over what may very well be a temporary arrangement. You are welcome to stay in the palace until I am satisfied that the Empire controls the system.”

“Be advised Kenna. The Emperor is not a forgiving or patient man. Nor am I for that matter.”

“Are you threatening me Moff Klugl?”

“Just giving you a friendly warning. You may be stalling for a better deal but the Emperor does not look kindly on that kind of disloyalty. Now if there is nothing else to discuss I shall be off. I sincerely regret not taking you up on your offer of hospitality but I must return to my fleet. I would be grateful if you could provide a transmitter as well as transportation.”

Kenna sat there in silence for a long time before speaking, “perhaps we can make a deal after all. It will of course be contingent on your Empire’s ability to control the sector. That won’ be a problem for you?” The oily way she spoke grated Moff Klugl. Not waiting for him to respond she pressed on, “After we have completed the negotiations a transmitter will be provided. Furthermore the bounty hunter Ger Fett will transport you back to your fleet.” She pointed at a man in dull orange Mandalorian armour. His bearing suggested he was no such thing but Klugl could not think of any other way he could have acquired such equipment. Pushing those thoughts away he focused on the discussion at hand.

Chapter 25:

The negotiations went on at length. There had been many tedious details to go over but he was well versed in such matters. Moff Klugl knew they had been making progress but he had begun to wonder if they would ever come to an agreement. He had nearly requested a break when Kenna had surprised him. She proclaimed her satisfaction with the deal and that she could not wait to reap the rewards of their arrangements. Being somewhat blindsided by this announcement he was torn between relief that things had come to a close and worry that he had missed something important. Either way he had thought to himself, what’s done is done. After making the agreement official he had been directed towards a transmitter where he contacted Captain Keldor. The captain seemed unaware that Moff Klugl and Darth Gemin were one and the same. Using this to his advantage he told Keldor that Gemin had already left the system on a mission from the Emperor to visit the Noprikar. Afterwards he informed the captain that he had recently arrived in secret to commence negotiations with Kenna. Since those had wrapped up he let the captain know he was ready to join the fleet.

Once he had informed the officer of his impending arrival aboard a civilian ship he began to wander the palace in search of Ger Fett and his crew. The design of the building suggested it was once a Jedi temple. As he made his way through the halls he could feel the Force gathered strongly within the temple walls. It was focused somewhere close by. Forgetting his ride off the planet for a moment he began to search for the heart of it. Some guards eyed him suspiciously as he passed by but none were foolish or brave enough to disturb him.

Deeper into the temple he searched. He came across a room with a large portion a wall missing. It had been removed some time ago. Beyond it was a rundown structure with different architecture than the palace. It appeared to be a foyer of a different temple. Klugl began to wonder if the Jedi had built over top of it to seal it off. What dangers lurk within? Without hesitating he entered the foyer and proceeded to the far side. At once the interior reminded him of the Sith Temple on Moraband. There was a pair of statues in the middle that were locked in an endless duel above the central walkway. Much to his surprise neither combatant wielded a lightsaber. How old is this place? Reaching the exit he saw that the next room branched off in several directions. It was obvious to Rufus that this hidden temple was much more mazelike than the Jedi one. Relying on the Force for guidance he traveled down several flights of stairs and made so many twists and turns he was no longer certain how to get back. As he descended down to another level he noticed a sudden change in architecture. The ceiling was lower to the point that he could almost touch it with his hands while standing. The entrance to the stairwell had glaring cut marks as if the wall had recently been removed. That was only a faint curiosity to him as the Force beckoned him to travel deeper. Strange writings and images lined the walls intermittently. He wished Arty was there to scan them to see if he could identify what language they were in. They seemed somehow familiar to him but he could not say why.

Trusting his senses he wandered through the corridors until he came upon a large round door. It was a near perfect circle in shape except at the bottom where it flattened along the ground. The top nearly reached the ceiling though that only made it a little taller than himself on this floor. This flat portion was wide enough for two or perhaps a cramped three people. It appeared to be made of a single tan coloured stone slab. The door was lined with similarly coloured bricks. A column of these bricks stood about a foot or so away from the doors edge on either side. Between the brickwork was a stone wall complete with the markings he had seen throughout the hallways.

There were also several intricate images of creatures and objects he had never seen before. Near the top of the artwork were some humanoids standing above a mass of people. Their image was obscured. Whether this was done on purpose or just the effect of time he could not decide. Hovering over each of their heads were large flying creatures. Lines tethered the creatures to the humanoids. Some sort of pet? Continuing on with his investigation he began to observe in detail the throng below. At once he noticed that among them were the red monsters from his visions. Here they appeared to be bowing down to the humanoids. That sent a chill through him. They had seemed so powerful and destructive. What powers do they possess to assert their will on these beasts? He was unsure if the squiggly lines at their chins were intentional or not. With how crude the rest of the artwork was either choice seemed plausible. Moving on with his examination his eyes were once again drawn upward. Above the door was an image carved into the brickwork. It was roughly shaped like a tripod holding a red sphere upward. To Gemin it seemed to be a beacon of some sort as small lines radiated away from the sphere. To either side of the image were a series of markings dotting the doorframe. Great care had been taken to etch in the symbols. With such great care taken with the writing it struck Gemin as odd that they were then positioned in no particular order. Several unmarked bricks were placed between them with no apparent rhyme or reason.

The Force felt strongest just beyond the door. He probed at the large stone slab searching for a mechanism to open it but found none. Next he pulled and pushed at it with the Force. When gentle attempts failed he attempted to break the door. He could not make a dent and worse still it felt as if the Force itself was being absorbed when it made contact. Frustrated he stared at it sullenly for a long while. There was something tantalizingly familiar about the door. Looking at the symbols on the doorframe again he pushed at one with the Force. When nothing happened he tried again with another. After testing several bricks in this manner one suddenly lit up. Gemin stared in wonderment as he could not ascertain where the light was coming from. To him the bricks were solid stone and this sudden illumination seemed impossible. Carefully he pushed at another brick and everything went dark again. A great sense of foreboding came over him as he felt a tremor in the Force. Staring at the bricks hesitantly he thought, I wonder if there is a sequence. If only I could read these symbols! He did not have long to ponder this as he was interrupted moments later.

Ger Fett had found him and called out, “I’d heard you’d gotten turned around. C’mon, the ship is this way.” He waved Moff Klugl over with an outstretched hand.

Reluctantly turning away from the mysterious door Klugl made his way over to the bounty hunter. They were about to begin there trek to the ship when his curiosity got the better of him. “I don’t suppose you know anything about that door?” He asked hopefully.

“To be quite honest I didn’t even know there was a door down here.”

“That’s alright. I didn’t really expect you to,” he said resignedly.

With that sorted the pair was off. They made good time on their way back through the temples. Little was said as they traveled but Klugl thought that was for the best. Eventually they came upon a large open room. He realised it was a hangar the moment he saw the ship docked in the middle. If he recalled correctly it was a Firespray-class vessel. The colour of the ship matched Ger Fett’s armour. It was uncomfortable to look at to say the least.

“She’s a beaut, isn’t she?” Ger Fett spoke. His voice startled Klugl after the preceding silence.

“She’s certainly a sight to behold,” he responded noncommittally.

“Her name’s Slave… Wait. What was the number again?”

Moff Klugl became a little disconcerted by Fett’s last statement. He ignored it deciding some things were best left unknown. Unfortunately for him Ger did not share that opinion.

“Hey! Toeze!” Fett called out.

A dumpy Toong crawled out from behind the ship. She was holding several tools and had a grease stain on her cheek. “Yes boss?” she shouted back.

“What’s the name of the ship?”

“You don’t know. It’s Slave!”

“I know that. What number?”

“We stopped counting, remember? It was after the Meesawnbeece incident.”

“Oh, right.” Turning to Klugl he said in a more normal tone, “This here is Slave. Just Slave.” Fett looked at his ship appreciatively for a moment. Suddenly he twitched and said, “And that there is Oric Toeze. She’s the ships mechanic. A real miracle worker if you ask me. I can’t tell you how many times she’s kept the ship running when it seemed doomed.”

“We shouldn’t need to worry about that on this trip thankfully,” replied Klugl as diplomatically as he could.

Ger Fett called out again. “Toeze! This here is Moff Klugl. The one we have to transport.” Toeze waved a wrench of some sort at him. “Is she ready to fly?”

“Ready and waiting. I was just making some minor adjustments. I’ll be finished in a moment.” With that she ducked back behind the ship and out of sight. A moment later he could hear various sounds of work being done.

Ger looked back at him and said, “C’mon. Let’s get on board. This way.” He led Klugl up an entrance ramp into the ship.

Just after the ramp the interior opened up into a large compartment. Klugl surmised that it was used primarily for holding cargo. On the far side of the room was a door leading deeper into the ship. There currently were a handful of crates scatter across the floor within the first room. To either side of the far door was a box with a gangly Glymphid sitting on each. They did not seem to notice the arrival of Ger and Klugl.

“On your feet you lazy louts!” barked Ger.

“Sir!” the pair bounded to their feet.

“This here is our passenger Moff Klugl.” Turning towards the Moff he continued, “Those two there are Hopz and Ize Dede. Brothers if you couldn’t tell. Pretty handy in a firefight not that were expecting one,” he finished with a laugh. Returning his attention to the pair he ordered, “We’ll be taking off in a moment. Make sure you’re ready.” The two ambled off at his command. Ger continued to lead him further into the ship. When he thought they were safely out of earshot he spoke in a conspiratorially, “To tell you the truth that pair is great when given a fully laid out plan. They just have no initiative or thinking skills. If things go off course they become an absolute disaster.” Noticing Klugl’s worried look he hastily added, “But no worry. This is a pretty cut and dry kind of mission. Just a quick flight up and you’ll be back with your fleet.”

Klugl tried to feel reassured but he could not shake the feeling this crew would be the death of him. Aside from the mechanic the rest seemed completely inept. Are they only playing at bounty hunter? He tried to figure out what he had done to offend Kenna this much but came up blank.

After moving through a few more rooms they came at last to the cockpit. There was another crew member inside. Surely she can’t be as bad as the rest, he hoped. Resignedly he awaited hearing about what was wrong with her.

It did not take long for Ger to begin introductions. “This is our pilot Kwin Burilla-Son. She’s been with us since…” Fett seemed lost in thought for a moment, “Ah, yes. Since right after the Meesawnbeece incident. Needed a new pilot after that as our previous one was fried to a crisp. Nasty business, that. Haven’t gone through anything nearly as frightening since this one joined our ranks.” He paused for breath before speaking once more, “Kwin. This is our passenger Moff Klugl. Now that we’re settled could you contact the rest of the crew and tell them we’re about to take off?”

“We’ll take off when I’m good and ready,” she snapped.

“In your own time of course.” 

Kwin waited a few seconds before she used the ships communicators. She called out officiously, “We’re taking off in a minute. You’d better be onboard when we do.” She glared at Fett for a moment afterwards before fiddling with the ships controls.

Ger spoke to Klugl quietly, “She’s a bit of a strange one. Likes to think she’s in charge. It’s easier if we just play along. We put up with her because she’s a decent pilot. She came highly recommended though they failed to mention her personality. It’s probably best if you don’t talk to her. It’s difficult to say what might set her off.”

His words ended abruptly as the ship blasted off. Upwards they sped towards the sky. Klugl was relieved to see the vessel hold together. How this ragtag group managed to function confounded him. He had seen a great many wonders throughout the galaxy but this might very well be the most astounding.

Chapter 26:

The flight from Tatooine to the Imperial fleet had been mostly uneventful. Kwin had created a bit of a stir as they neared the Star Destroyer but Ger Fett had managed to smooth things over. They landed two one side of a large hangar bay. As Moff Klugl departed the ship he was greeted by Captain Keldor and a large contingent of troops. Ger Fett had trailed him to the edge of the ramp and waited there patiently. His posture was relaxed as he leaned against part of the ship. Klugl was curious about this as payment had already been given to the bounty hunter. Maybe he’s hoping for another job. Hah! They barely completed this task. There’s no way I’d use them again. Putting those thoughts aside he came to a halt in front of Captain Keldor.

“Welcome aboard sir,” The captain greeted him formally.

“How goes the battle?” Klugl replied.

“Quite well sir. The Republic fleet was in full retreat before nightfall yesterday. So far there has been no sign of their return.”

“Very good captain. It is vital that you maintain control of this system. Should you succeed it won’t be long before you receive another promotion.”

“You are too kind, Moff Klugl.” The captain thought a moment before asking, “Would you like to contact the Emperor?”

“No, that won’t be necessary. I would like to deliver the results personally. Ready a ship to send me back to Mistrabo.”

Keldor blanched. “I-‘m sorry sir. We cannot afford to weaken our fleet. All our auxiliary ships were sent back with the Juggernaut Busters.”

Inside his head he screamed, you have got to be kidding me! Outside he displayed all manner of calmness. “Oh dear. Then I suppose I will have to rely on these bounty hunters again,” Klugl spoke as he gestured towards Ger’s ship. He noticed there was something off about Keldor’s behavior. The captain seemed more timid about his failure than expected. Has he figured it out? Not for the first time the young officer impressed him with his perceptiveness. If he kept up his usefulness Klugl would have to speak to Palpatine about rapidly advancing his career.

“I wouldn’t recommend that sir. But if that is your decision I shall inform the Emperor of your impending arrival.” 

Turning back to the bounty hunters Klugl spoke, “I have another job for you.”

Obviously interested Fett stood up straight as he responded, “What kind of job?”

“Transportation. I need to get back to Mistrabo. You will be well rewarded by the Empire.”

Ger rubbed his hands together. “I think I can do that for you. We were heading in that direction anyways. Delivering goods a few systems away. I think I can convince the crew.”

He means Kwin, Klugl thought. Instead he said, “Then there’s no reason to stand around here. Let’s depart at once.” Looking back to Captain Keldor he instructed, “Keep up the good work. I imagine we will be working together again shortly.”

The captain gave his assurances of success as Moff Klugl strode towards Slave. When he neared it Ger Fett joined him and the two boarded it. It was not until the ship was well on its way that Keldor allowed himself to breathe again.

Chapter 27:

Planet Mistrabo II:

The trip with the bounty hunters was largely uneventful except for the brief detour when they came out of hyperspace in the wrong system. Moff Klugl thought Kwin and Ger would come to blows over that mistake. Oddly enough he felt at peace with the error. There incompetence did not worry him in this moment; rather he found it quite amusing. It had been quite some time since he last laughed so enthusiastically. He was almost sad to leave the ship when they finally did arrive on Mistrabo II. This Mid Rim system had only been opened up in the later years of the old Empire. A large fleet had spent months clearing away the asteroid belt that had cut it off from nearby systems like Onderon. The original Emperor had sent probes to the planet which then discovered large quantities of precious metals including a sizable vein of Phrik. He had spent great amounts of effort to clear a passage only for the Empire to fall and the planet’s importance seemingly lost.

His successor had been given the knowledge and quickly built a base there. That is what the pretender claimed and Klug believed him. Biding his time he developed mines and industry all over the planets. He secretly amassed great fortune while carefully growing his military might. When at last the First order fell he made his presence known. While the restored Republic was trying to establish itself his underground network of Imperial loyalists rose up broke away from them. This schism quickly shattered the Republic’s tenuous hold on the galaxy as other factions splintered off. The new Emperor watched it unfold from his citadel high in the mountains of Mistrabo. He had spent a small fortune expanding the once tiny ancient castle into a sprawling fortress that dwarfed most cities. There were several hangars but Moff Klugl had chosen the one closest to the Emperor’s office. He was still in a good mood as Ger Fett’s ship began to land. 

Several soldiers greeted them in the landing bay. One carried a large case that he assumed was full of money. That soldier brought the case to Ger and handed it over saying, “payment! From the Empire.”

Klugl left without a word. His demeanour was quickly soured as he made his way to the Emperor’s office. He did not relish the idea of reporting the events he had witnessed. During the trip through hyperspace he had worked on his story. He was fairly certain he could recite it while omitting details that he wanted to hide. The Emperor might see through his deception but he had to try, if not for his own schemes than for Dreya’s sake. Best not to think about her. It will only put her in danger. He tried putting aside his worries of the Emperor seeing through him.

Moff Klugl made his way through the citadel until he reached the final corridor before the Emperor’s reception hall. The tube-like walkway hovered over a jagged precipice. Several support beams bore into the rocky cliff side to his right. To the left was an unobstructed view of the valley below. Aside from the beams the only things holding up the corridor were the two rooms it was connected to. The preceding room was burrowed into the mountain and seemed the more durable connection. The reception hall on the far side appeared to be perched precariously on its own peak. The near side of it lifted off the ground while posts ran straight down into the slope below. Klugl sometimes worried that one good earthquake might bring the whole place crashing down. From his vantage point in the corridor he could see through the windows of the reception hall. He was fairly certain the Emperor was seated on his throne awaiting the Moff’s arrival.

Finally reaching the end of the corridor he waited a moment as the automatic door opened for him. At once he could see a door on the far side of the room. This led to the Emperor’s private office. He was certain he would not be going there today. Instead he turned to his left. The room was likely longer than the corridor. It did not have a lot of depth to it as he could easily cross it in a few steps. The floor was covered in a dark grey carpet that spanned the entire room in a single piece. The near side walls were mostly glass with a few posts connecting the floor to the ceiling. A pair of decorative flat grey bars lined the windows at waist height with small gap between them. The rest of the walls were made of preformed greyish white plastic. The lighting in the room never seemed adequate always giving the place a twilight atmosphere. One part that seemed darker still was a substantial alcove along the back wall towards the middle of the room. This was his destination.

As he walked along the room’s length he eventually neared the middle. Along the way he passed by a metallic grey table that was nearly as wide as he was tall. It was roughly two and a half times longer than it was wide. Its orientation matched the room. The end closest to the doors made a semicircle while the other side was flat. There was little in the way of legroom on the flat side. The table rested on three boards in the shape. One was placed lengthwise in the middle. The other two were positioned perpendicular to it near the ends. The side with the semicircle overshot the support but the flat side barely cleared it leaving only a small overhang. This table was used for strategy meetings and had a built in hologram display. 

Once Klugl had passed the table there was a short gap before he reached the middle of the room. Here a number of plain black chairs were placed into two even rows. They were positioned close to windows while facing away from them. They were pointed towards a large desk that was as long as three or four of him placed head to foot. The desk was close in shape to a semi-circle with a second one cut out of the inside. All the corners had been rounded leaving no sharp edges to speak of. Half the desk was placed into the recessed part of the room while the outer curve bulged into the room. There were several feet of clearance to either side and plenty of space behind the desk despite the throne like chair taking up residence there. The walls in the alcove were a glossy obsidian black in stark counterpoint to the dull greyish white walls of the rest of the room.

The throne was unornate but still made for an intimidating sight. As always the man sitting upon it overpowered it with his presence alone. Emperor Palpatine sat with his hood up. A grim look appeared on what remained visible of his face. Worry set in as Moff Klugl drew close to the center of the desk. Their meeting was to be private and he anticipated the Emperor’s wrath with each passing moment.

When he could bear it no longer he broke the silence with head bent in reverence, “Your majesty. I have come with news to repor-”

The Emperor cut him off, “I know what you have come to report!” His eyes became visible briefly and it looked as if fire burned within. “It would seem the Juggernaut Busters were a great success.”

“Yes, master.”

“Then we will accelerate manufacturing.”

“There is one flaw with them.”

“A flaw?”

“They are only single use. After the first attack their guns are destroyed. Without them they cannot weaken the Juggernaut’s shield enough to break through.”

“Then we shall have to improve the design. No matter.” The Emperor sat in thought until Klugl felt uncomfortable again. When he was near the breaking point Palpatine asked, “Tell me, Lord Gemin, how did negotiations go with the Hutt’s?”

“After a little prodding they went smoothly. The deal is contingent on us holding the system though.”

The Emperor clenched his fist before responding in a measured tone, “It makes no difference. Soon the whole galaxy will be mine.”

“That is why I was willing to agree to it. With the Busters we have turned the tide of the war.”

“Very good Lord Gemin. Very good,” The Emperor cackled as he spoke. “Now then. It would seem that you’ve adopted a new outfit. Tell me, what happened to you on Tatooine for I sense a great deal of rebelliousness in you.”

“I had no choice. After I crashed on the planet my helmet was damaged. Understanding the necessity for secrecy I found this cloak,” he grabbed at the outfit as he spoke, “to cover my armor. No one of any importance saw Darth Gemin’s face. As far as Kenna is concerned the only one to visit Tatooine was Moff Klugl.”

“Is that so?” The Emperor sat in thought. “Putting that aside for now I would like to know what else happened on the planet. You were out of communication for quite some time and very little of it can be accounted for with negotiations. Of that I am quite sure.” His tone of voice was dangerously accusatory.

“After crashing on the planet-”

“Remind me how that happened.”

“It was a desperate attempt to take out the Jedi I had encountered before.”

“Ah yes. I remember you mentioning her before. Hard to imagine her getting the better of you as you claimed she was untrained.”

“Not completely untrained.” Gemin tried to relax as the conversation entered the topic he wished to avoid. “Her training is merely incomplete. Still her piloting skills are second to none. She was decimating our fighters.”

“Keldor’s report said as much.”

“He accomplished a great victory in my absence.”

“And he shall be rewarded for it. Now continue.”

“After intentionally crashing into the Jedi’s ship I plummeted to the ground. The transmitter on my ship was destroyed on impact so I made my way to a nearby settlement.”

“Then you should have acquired one from their right away. Why didn’t you?”

“I was delayed by a sand storm. Then upon entering the city,” Gemin paused trying to recollect the name, “Mos Espa I believe it’s called.”

The Emperor’s eyes widened at the revelation. He tried to hide his surprise by chastising Gemin, “The name of the city is unimportant. Get to the point Lord Gemin. I find myself losing patience with you.”

“After entering the city I searched for a transmitter and came across an abandoned store. It used to belong to a junk dealer. While I was rooting through the store I had a vision.”

“A vision?” The Emperor’s face tightened. “Are you sure you weren’t merely hallucinating? Too much sun can cause that.”

“I am sure.”

“Then tell me of this vision.”

“It was about Anakin Skywalker. When he was a young boy.”

“Anakin? But he has been dead for decades. What possible purpose could such a vision have?”

“I do not know. But I had a few visions while on Tatooine that all seemed to involve him.”

The Emperor brought a hand up to his chin as he sat deep in thought. When at last he spoke it was almost dismissively, “Perhaps they are showing you the way to reach your full potential though I suspect they were all just your imagination.”

“There was one other vision I haven’t mentioned yet. Or part of one. Briefly I saw my father fighting against some strange red creatures. They were blurred but he stood out clear as day.”

“But I thought your father was dead.”

“So did I. But who else could he have been. The resemblance was uncanny though he looked a little younger than I remember.”

“Perhaps it was not your father but someone related to him. Either way the vision has too few details to be of value.” The Emperor rose as he spoke, “Now, I think it is time to do something about your earlier insolence.” Raising his hands blue lighting shot out from the Emperor’s fingers. It flew across the room towards Rufus. As it struck him the Emperor cackled with his usual sinister laughter.

Rufus was immediately wracked with pain. He twitched helplessly for a moment while holding his ground. Somehow through the agony he remembered being attacked on Tatooine. He began diverting the Force lightning away from his body towards his hands. Quickly he changed his mind. Now was not the time for rebellion. He still had much to learn. Furthermore he still did not know the Emperor’s true strength. Patience was what the situation required. Carefully he diverted some of the lighting out of his body as he slumped forwards to the ground. The Emperor increased the intensity of his attack. Rufus’ left knee began to bend as he tried to steady himself. Pushing the pain from his mind he concentrated on subtly redirecting the lighting. The pain grew more difficult to endure and he collapsed to the ground. His weight was supported by his knees and elbows all the while he fought off a desire to writhe in agony. The endless torture abruptly ended.

“Good. Very good. You are growing stronger every day. I am amazed at how well you endured your punishment.” Then he sneered, “Your defiance does not serve you well. You have so much yet to learn in order to become a true Sith Lord. Your training will remain incomplete until you learn to use your feelings as a source of power. I sense anger in you but you push it away. Do you wish to remain incomplete forever? There is so much you could be taught if only you would fully give in to your hate.”

“I still wish to learn master.” Gemin said while carefully rising to his feet.

“Then you must find what gives you pain and make use of it. Think of your mother and the destruction you inflicted because of her. Remember how you felt when she died.”

“I fear that those feelings died along with her. But I will heed your words and seek them out once more.”

The Emperor eyed him appraisingly before responding, “Very well. You may go.” 

“Thank you, master.” With a great deal of relief Gemin turned to leave.

“One last thing,” the Emperor added with a vicious knowing smile. Gemin froze midstride. “I can sense in you a great deal of conflict. Perhaps you have finally gained attachment to someone.” Gemin tried not to show his worry. “We will work on building it.”

Rufus felt a twinge of fear. The Emperor had seen right through him. Maybe he doesn’t know who I’m attached to, he thought hopefully. “How do we do that master?”

“Since I suspect it is that senator you seem so fond of,” the Emperor waited a moment as he tried to gauge Rufus’ reaction, “I recommend continuing the peace talks for now. As the two of you get closer the strength of your attachment will grow. When it has become great enough we will use it to unlock your full potential.”

“Use how?” He asked not really wanting an answer.

“In time my young apprentice. In time all will be revealed.”

“What makes you so sure she is the source of my attachment?” Rufus wanted to let this go but could not help himself.

“Your demeanour changed after meeting her. It started small with little moments of insubordination shortly after the first peace talks. You are protecting her whether you realise it or not. But why would you do that if you felt nothing for her?” The Emperor gave an oily smile as his explanation hit the mark. “We will discuss this more later. For now you should clean yourself up. I will expect a full report given to Moff Goros tomorrow.”

“Yes master.”

“You are dismissed.” Gemin began to walk away before the Emperor said, “Oh, and one last thing. I do reward good work. What you accomplished is praiseworthy… Grand Moff Suntracer.”

“Sir?”

“That will be all.”

“Yes Sir,” Gemin said with a smile. Then he was off down the corridor before the Emperor changed his mind. He made his way back to his room automatically as his mind was lost in thought. Somehow he had accomplished all his goals during the conversation. The peace talks will resume, he thought. A satisfied grin threatened to split his face in two. Soon he would see Dreya again.

Chapter 28:

Rufus felt that nothing could ruin his good mood. Reaching his room he thought even an appearance by Yoda would be harmless. The creature appeared in the corner of the room as if summoned.

“Pleased am I to see you so happy. A good time had you on Tatooine?”

“Yes and I was hoping you wouldn’t spoil it for me.”

“It is not I that troubles you. Unburden you I can. Many Jedi have I helped by listening to their problems.”

Letting out a sign Rufus replied, “Okay, Master Yoda. I’m not really sure where to begin.”

“Perhaps the beginning of the story is the best place to start.”

“You’re not making this any easier.” Gathering his thoughts he proceeded, “While on Tatooine I met someone that I thought was my enemy.”

“Ah. An unexpected friendship you discovered.”

“I guess you could call it that. Still she-” he hesitated, “We still fight on opposing sides. How can we be friends through such a divide?”

“A paradox that is. Impossible to serve two masters. One day I feel you will have to choose between the two. Until such time you must reflect on what is most important. Only then will you know who you truly serve.”

Rufus listened intently. For once the creature was giving him useful advice instead of his usual pestering. “But how can I tell what is most important?” He asked himself somewhat lost in thought, “Can I really value the fate of one life over the fate of the galaxy?”

“Beware young Suntracer. Attachment is a path to the Dark Side.”

“Don’t you think it’s a little late for that lecture?” It took a few seconds for it to dawn on him and he asked accusingly, “How do you know my name?”

“Mysterious the ways the Force are,” Yoda said in an overt attempt at sounding mystical while a bemused smile spread across his face. Putting on a more serious expression he added, “Long have I watched over you. Surrounded by the Dark Side you have become but still there is hope. For you… And for the galaxy.”

“The only thing I am hoping for is revenge.”

“Believe you I do not,” He pointed a gnarled finger at Rufus. “No longer have you the conviction. Changed you are.”

“I’m no different than when I left for Tatooine.”

“Bigger than Tatooine this is though it has played its part.”

Flabbergasted, Rufus stumbled through his question, “Bigger than- What do you mean bigger than Tatooine?”

“Look within yourself and answers you will find. If a starting place you require think of all that has changed around you.”

“Changed around me? Nothing’s changed for me in years.” Rufus began pacing around the room. His movements were jerky in his agitation. He nearly tripped over his feet when an idea struck him. “You don’t mean the peace talks, do you?” Yoda’s expression gave nothing away but he knew he was on the right track. Rufus pressed forward with the idea as he watched Yoda for even the smallest hint of a reaction. He pondered aloud, “The only thing of note to come from them was a partial halt to the war. But that was only a reduction in conflict not a full ceasefire.” As he observed the Jedi Master he noticed only a bored look on his face. “So it’s not the conflict then. Hmmm. That only leaves the people I met.” Rufus stood there with his mouth agape. “Dreya!” he exclaimed with certainty. “It all comes back to Dreya.” He missed Yoda quirking an eyebrow involuntarily at his pronouncement but he hardly needed it. Unexpectedly Rufus fell into fits of laughter at the absurdity of Yoda helping him. He attempted to speak throughout them, “You know… I think… You might be… On to something.” Finally getting a hold of himself he concluded, “But why make me figure it out when you could have just told me as much?”

“Important it is for you to come to the conclusion on your own. Rely on yourself you must. Guide you I will but the path is for you to walk alone.”

“I’d ask how you know about Dreya I’m guessing you’ve been watching her too.”

“Only from a great distance. Watch over her another does. Work together to save the galaxy we are as we have before.”

“Speaking of the past. Before I went to Tatooine you mentioned training Jedi from there. I think I saw one of them while I was on the planet.” Rufus wore a satisfied grin after seeing Yoda’s startled expression. “Anakin Skywalker. Do you know him?”

A sad demeanor came upon Yoda and he lowered his head as he spoke, “Clouded his future was, much like your own. Terrible darkness he brought upon the galaxy. Nearly extinct the Jedi and Sith were by his hand. Fear and attachment led him to the Dark Side of the Force. Unable to let go he was and I now see the same weakness in you. But tell me, where did you see him?”

“Several places on Tatooine. Places he seemed to have a deep connection to. The Dark Side was strong there.”

“Great pain did he suffer on Tatooine. Terrible, terrible pain.” Yoda’s clutched a hand to his chest as if reliving the experience. “Too old he was for training. Years of attachment we could not undo.”

“For his mother?” Rufus asked. The green creature looked at him questioningly. “I saw her too… In the visions. I watched as they…” He hesitated as he fought off an intense wave of emotion. With his voice on the verge of breaking he managed to croak, “I watched as they died… She died.” After taking several long deep breaths he pressed on, “Then I saw his revenge. How he slaughtered them. The whole tribe. I should have been awestruck by the carnage but I witnessed something unexpected in the vision.”

“Unexpected? How so?”

“Before Anakin started killing I first saw my father fighting back the red creatures. The ones we talked about before.”

“Yes. I remember.”

“He stood there alone fighting against them. In each of his hands was a lightsaber. One white the other black. He was very distinct and glowed with light. The red monsters were blurry and clouded in darkness. The darkness consumed the light and I knew my father would not hold out much longer. It was then that the vision changed into Anakin massacring the tribe.”

“Visions of the past and future intertwined.”

“But how can that be the future if my father is dead? Unless he had a younger brother or something. Come to think of it he looked a bit like Anakin or maybe that was just the vision.” Rufus mind began to wander as he came up with more and more fanciful explanations for his father’s appearance.

“Dead your farther is. Of this I am sure.” The seriousness of Yoda’s voice pulled Rufus’ out of his stupor. “No family has he beside you.”

“How long have you been watching over us.”

“A long time. You are not the only one that the Force has given glimpses of the future to.” Yoda gave him a long searching look as if deciding if he could trust Rufus with a secret. “Since Anakin is long dead we can put him aside for the time being. That leaves us with only one person that could have been in the vision.”

Rufus wracked his brain for the answer. Who else could look like dad? He felt as if he had been smacked upside the head. “You couldn’t mean me?”

“I can and I do.”

The room suddenly felt very cold. Hesitantly Rufus asked, “What does it all mean?”

“You will struggle between the Light and Dark Sides of the Force. Perhaps you will find balance with them as you wield lightsabers of black and white.” 

Rufus was going to correct him with a theory of his own but thought better of it. Best not to let anyone know of his plans just yet. Instead he asked, “So each blade represents a side of the Force?” He only half paid attention to an answer he already knew.

“In this case I feel the vision is mostly symbolic. But it comes with a clear warning.”

“A warning?”

“Fight alone and you will fail. You have been shown these visions so that you might change your destiny. Not yet set the path before you is. Hope there still is though darkness falls all around you.”

There was something in the way that he spoke that made Rufus believe him. Worriedly he asked, “How do I change my destiny. I don’t even know what I’m changing it from.”

“The most important thing is that alone you cannot win.”

“So I need allies? But who? I don’t even know where to begin,” he growled in frustration.

“Patience. Said it yourself who it comes back to. Start there you should. Trust the Force and you will find your answers.” With that he faded away leaving Rufus alone with his thoughts.

“Trust the Force,” He spoke bitterly as he made his way over to his bed. “It all comes back to who though?” Irritated he raised his voice, “Agghh, You always speak in riddles.” Slamming a fist into the mattress he prepared to lash out with the Force. A voice inside his head reminded him to use patience. Calming himself he replayed his conversation with the little monster in his head. As he went through his memories he heard the part he needed, it all comes back to Dreya. “Dreya,” he nearly shouted. He began to follow the logical path from this revelation.

We’re already friends. Sort of anyways. And with the Emperor continuing the peace talks we should grow closer still. But then shouldn’t we be destined to fight together against the red menace? Why wasn’t she there? Does that mean that our getting closer puts her in danger? A rising feeling of alarm made his heart race. It must be the Emperor’s plans for me. I cannot allow him to succeed. I will not allow him to succeed. He will not harm her, I will see to that. Even if I have to push her away I will save her. Though she may hate me I will keep her safe

Rufus began hatching different plots in order to protect Dreya from the Emperor’s machinations. Somehow he was going to keep the Senator out of harm’s way. His first idea was to sully the peace talks. Grinning to himself he began scheming all the ways he might sow further division between the two warring factions. It was then that he remembered several systems were protected by nonaggression pacts. Both sides had agreed not to attack them due to their importance in preserving any semblance of order in the galaxy. Perhaps I shall pay them a visit, He thought with a twisted smile. For now he decided to rest in preparation for the battles ahead.

\-------------------------------------------------------------//-------------------------------------------------------------

Meditating on his bed he tried setting his mind adrift. The panicked thoughts he had felt moments ago made a constant barrage against his inner peace. He tried to return to old memories but his worry kept distracting him too much to focus. After a great deal of struggle he finally found some success.

The first memory he entered took place at his grandmother’s house. He saw his younger self already seated at a long table. His father stood nearby with a large pot. Grandma Huhndramil sat beside him. To her other side was another lady he did not quite recognize. She looked familiar but he had not seen her often enough to remember her name. 

Rufus was surprised he had stumbled into this memory. It was some family gathering when he was four or five years old. He could not recall what the occasion was. He was glad it was a pleasant memory. Just as it began playing out he heard a woman’s voice faintly calling to him. It came from outside the memory.

“The balance is slipping. You go too far.”

“Who?” Rufus asked in a daze.

“The balance is breaking. You must not lose yourself.”

“What balance?” He spoke with more alertness as his senses started to return.

“Do not break the balance. You must not or you will destroy yourself. You will destroy us all.” He was about to ask for clarification when she added, “You will destroy her.”

“Who are you!” He shouted. In a more moderate tone he asked, “Where are you?”

“You will learn who I am soon enough young one. Soon you will find me but only after you have faced your childhood.”

“What has my childhood got to do with anything?”

“Everything! It was the start of your unbalance. All will be destroyed if it is not restored.”

“How do I stop it? How do I protect her?”

“You have already set things into motion that cannot be undone. War is coming. You must restore your balance before it arrives.”

“There is already a war.”

“Not that petty skirmish.”

Rufus felt terror well up within him. He remembered the red monsters trying to snuff out the light. “If things continued unchanged she won’t be there and the balance you keep talking about will be broken. I have plans to keep her safe. That-”

“Your plans will fail. You go too far. They will only serve to break the balance faster. She will hate you and be destroyed by your hand.”

“Then how do I save her? If I don’t stop the peace talks she will die and if I do it makes no difference. I refuse to accept that outcome.”

“It’s not about stopping them but how you go about it. You must find another way. Seek the path of balance. Come find me when you do.”

“Where?” he asked but she was gone. Another path? Perhaps attacking protected planets is going too far. I will find another target. One thing he was certain was that he would find a way to protect Dreya. 

The exhaustion of the trip to Tatooine finally caught up with him and he collapsed on his bed. His sleep was filled of nightmares of red monsters and the Emperor. Throughout them he tried to save Dreya. Sometimes he succeeded but each dream only furthered his resolve. Briefly he awoke from a more terrifying nightmare. He mumbled something about how he would protect Dreya and the galaxy before passing out again. The last dream he had before waking up was sneaking through the city with his mother when the Republic invaded Gelvin. It lasted only a moment before he was jarred awake. Sitting bolt upright he thought, Is that the childhood I must face? He decided he needed to pay his home a visit when he had some free time.


End file.
